Leading 3-2, Pittsburgh was called for three delay of game penalties within 2:02 to give Washington two 5-on-3 power plays, one for 54 seconds and one for 1:04. The Penguins had just killed the first 5-on-3 when defenseman Ian Cole sent the puck over the glass, after forward Chris Kunitz and Bonino did the same previously.
Cole said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby gave a speech following the third period that helped Pittsburgh refocus.
"Sid said, 'Guys, we still have a game here,'" Cole said. "'We're still in a decent spot. We want to finish it out, everybody knows that, but we can't stop playing. We can't just fold this game. We're still in a great spot. One more goal and this game's over. What's the past is the past. You can't do anything about it now.'"
Cole said coach Mike Sullivan echoed Crosby's message. Sullivan said he was proud of Pittsburgh's resiliency.
"I've never seen it in all the years I've been around the game, I'll tell you that," Sullivan said. "Three delay of game penalties right in a row like that. That's a tough one to swallow, you know? And I thought our guys battled hard through it."