Schedule and 2016-17 Results
Regular Season Records: Washington 55-19-8=118pts, Pittsburgh 50-21-11=111pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 27 April: Pittsburgh wins at Washington, 3-goals-2
Game 2 on Saturday, 29 April: Pittsburgh wins at Washington, 6-goals-2
Game 3 on Monday, 01 May: Washington wins at Pittsburgh, 3-goals-2
Game 4 on Wednesday, 03 May: Washington loses at Pittsburgh, 3-goals-2
Game 5 on Saturday, 06 May: Pittsburgh loses at Washington, 4-goals-2
Game 6 on Monday, 08 May: Washington wins at Pittsburgh, 5-goals-2
Game 7 on Wednesday, 10 May: Pittsburgh wins at Washington, 2-goals-nil

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and shut out the Washington Capitals 2-goals-nil to complete a 4-games-3 best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1329 victory. With the series 1329 win, the Pittsburgh Penguins improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record to 35-22 with an active six-series winning streak befitting a defending NHL champion overall and 10-10 in the Quarterfinals round. With the series 1329 loss, the Washington Capitals see their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record fall to 14-25 overall and 2-11 with an active six-Quarterfinals losing streak in the Quarterfinals round. The win order for the victorious Pittsburgh Penguins in series 1329 was WWLWLLW: Series 1329 thus becomes the first NHL Quarterfinals-round series, the fifth NHL series (all rounds), and the 13th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order to completion. The Pittsburgh Penguins in series 1329 became the tenth team in best-of-7 NHL playoff Game 7s to notch a road-ice shutout. The first best-of-7 NHL playoff Game 7 road-ice shutout was achieved by the New York Islanders in series 295, over the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 1975 NHL Quarterfinals series which Pittsburgh led 3-games-nil but lost 4-games-3.

After Game 6: The Washington Capitals visited and bested the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-goals-2 to knot best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1329 at 3-games-all. When tied 3-games-all in a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series, the Washington Capitals have a Game 7 record of 4-10, while the Pittsburgh Penguins have a Game 7 record of 8-7. In Washington, the Capitals best-of-7 NHL playoff Game 7 record is 3-7. On the road, the Pittsburgh Penguins best-of-7 NHL playoff Game 7 record is a perfect and MLB/NBA/NHL-best 5-0. The overall Game 7 record of home NHL teams in best-of-7 NHL playoff series is 97-69 (.584). Series 1329 becomes only the fourth best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series to follow a win/site order of LLWLWW @ HHVVHV through six games. In each of the previous three such instances, the team posting that win/site order won Game 7 at home. The last team to do so: The Washington Capitals in series 1057, over the New York Rangers in their 2009 NHL Preliminary-round series.

After Game 5: The Washington Capitals hosted and outscored the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-goals-2 to reduce the Pittsburgh Penguins best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 1329 lead to 3-games-2. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 12-7 and a Game 6 record of 11-8. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 2-11 and a Game 6 record of 6-7.

After Game 4: The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted and bested the Washington Capitals 3-goals-2 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1329 lead of 3-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 13-3 with an active four-series winning streak and a Game 5 record of 9-7. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 2-7 and a Game 5 record of 5-4. The two Washington series victories in the wake of 3-games-1 deficits occurred in series 504 (over the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1988 NHL Preliminary round) and series 1057 (over the New York Rangers in the 2009 NHL Preliminary round).

After Game 3: The Washington Capitals visited and bested the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-goals-2 in overtime to reduce the Pittsburgh Penguins best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 1329 lead to 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 15-7 with an active four-series winning streak and a Game 4 record of 10-12. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 7-8 and a Game 4 record of 8-7. The Pittsburgh Penguins trailed series 1329 Game 3 at home by two goals as late as 18:06 into the third period, and forced the game into overtime. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff games from 1939 through 2016, inclusive, only twice had a home team surmounted a two-goal deficit as late as 18:06 into the third period for a game victory.

After Game 2: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and bested the Washington Capitals 6-goals-2 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1329 lead of 2-games-nil. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 15-2 with an active nine-series winning streak and a Game 3 record of 12-5. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 1-5 and a Game 3 record of 1-5. Trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Washington Capitals have a 1-5 series record and a 1-5 Game 3 record. The sole Capitals victory in both Game 3 and the series occurred in series 1057, over the New York Rangers in the 2009 NHL Preliminary round.

After Game 1: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and bested the Washington Capitals 3-goals-2 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1329 lead of 1-game-nil. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 19-7 with an active five-series winning streak and a Game 2 record of 16-10. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 7-8 and a Game 2 record of 9-6. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series, teams such as the Pittsburgh Penguins which win Game 1 on the road 3-goals-2 have an 18-18 (.500) series record. Series 1329 Game 1 marks the third time in best-of-7 NHL playoff history and the second time in the 2017 NHL playoffs that a road team (Pittsburgh) broke a scoreless tie with two goals in the first two minutes of the second period -- the Edmonton Oilers did likewise in San Jose against the Sharks in Game 6 of their 2017 NHL Preliminary-round series (series 1327).

Pre-series assessment: In the 2016-17 NHL regular season, the Washington Capitals finished seven points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. From 1939 through the 2017 NHL Preliminary round, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by seven regular-season points, they have posted a best-of-7 playoff series record of 17-14 (.548) in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1329 is the 39th best-of-7 NHL playoff series for the Washington Capitals, and the 57th for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Washington Capitals have an all-rounds series record of 14-24, a Quarterfinals-round series record of 2-10 with an active five-series losing streak, and a Game 1 record of 23-15, while the Pittsburgh Penguins have an all-rounds series record of 34-22, a Quarterfinals-round series record of 9-10, and a Game 1 record of 27-29. Series 1329 is the tenth best-of-7 NHL playoff series meeting between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh has won eight of the previous nine best-of-7 NHL playoff series between the two teams, and the last six such series. Washington notched its only best-of-7 NHL playoff series defeat of Pittsburgh in series 652, in the 1994 NHL Preliminary round.