T.J. Oshie (Caps Outsider)

With an 8-7-1 record, and second to last place in the Metropolitan Division, the Capitals needed to put up a fight against the defending Stanley Cup winners on Friday.

As usual, the Caps/Penguins game at Capital One Arena was intense. With multiple penalties and power plays, and a scrap between Liam O’Brien and Ryan Reaves, the energy of the game poured over into the stands, then kicked up another notch as John Carlson scored on the power play in the first period.

Because of the number of Pittsburgh fans in Washington, even a Penguins goal shakes the arena in ways that doesn’t happen when, say, the Florida Panthers score.

With a four-minute power play in the second period where the Caps went so far as to give Alex Chiasson an elongated shift, T.J. Oshie tipped in a blast from Carlson, giving the Caps a 2-1 lead and psyching up the crowd for the third period.

As time ticked away in the game and the Caps clinging to the lead, Chandler Stephenson, who started the game on the top line, netted an insurance goal, before Jakub Vrana’s empty netter ensured the win.

This was the type of game that had the Caps lost, fans would easily feel unnerved, just like previous dreary Novembers when the playoffs seemed unlikely.

It wasn’t the playoffs, but the Caps beat their arch-nemesis tonight, a much-needed sigh of relief for a team that needed to make good things happen.