5 Keys: Penguins at Capitals, Game 2

PENGUINS AT CAPITALS
3 p.m. ET; NBC; CBC; TVAS
Penguins lead best-of-7 series 1-0
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals will try to even the Eastern Conference Second Round with the Pittsburgh Penguins by winning Game 2 at Capital One Arena on Sunday.

The Penguins scored three goals in a 4:49 span of the third period for a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in Game 1 on Thursday. A team that wins Game 1 in a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series has a record of 465-210 (68.9 percent). A road team that wins Game 1 is 138-106 (56.6 percent).
RELATED: [Complete Capitals vs. Penguins series coverage]
The Capitals have fallen behind 2-0 at home in each of their past two playoff series, including last season against the Penguins in the second round.
Here are five keys for Game 2:

1. Malkin out

The Penguins have played (and won) their past two games without forward Evgeni Malkin, their leading scorer in the regular season (98 points; 42 goals, 56 assists), and will do so again in Game 2 of the second round. He's been sidelined with a lower-body injury. Malkin skated at practice Saturday in a regular jersey but played with the fourth line and took turns with Carter Rowney.

2. Protecting leads

The Capitals blew a 2-0 lead in Game 1; it's the fourth time in seven playoff games this year they've failed to hold a two-goal lead. Three of those four games were losses.
"It definitely wasn't our worst performance with the lead," Washington goaltender Braden Holtby said. "I think we got a couple bounces and a couple things that went their way, and a couple breaks didn't go our way. That's the way hockey works."

3. Murray vs. Holtby

Matt Murray made 32 saves in Game 1 and kept the Capitals from extending their lead, giving the Penguins a chance to rally in the third period. Holtby didn't see as many shots, but that's often the case against Pittsburgh, which is efficient with its chances. He made 22 saves; the best was in the second period on a shot by defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who was alone in the slot.

4. Pittsburgh's top line

The Capitals held Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist and Jake Guentzel in check for more than two periods of Game 1. But that stretch of 4:49 early in the third period was all Pittsburgh's top line needed to change the game. Deflections by Hornqvist and Guentzel and a shot from the right circle by Crosby turned the 2-0 hole into a 3-2 lead.
"They're fast and they're creative at finding open ice," Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen said. "I think we had pretty good awareness through two periods."

5. Special teams

The Penguins and Capitals have two of the NHL's best power plays, but neither had much opportunity with the man-advantage in Game 1. There were three penalties called, including overlapping high-sticking minors in the third period. Pittsburgh, which led the NHL during the regular season (26.2 percent) had 2:32 of power-play time; the Capitals, whose nine power-play goals are the most in this year's playoffs, had 32 seconds.

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Patric Hornqvist
Dominik Simon -- Riley Sheahan -- Phil Kessel
Conor Sheary -- Derick Brassard -- Bryan Rust
Zach Aston-Reese -- Carter Rowney -- Tom Kuhnhackl
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Jamie Oleksiak -- Chad Ruhwedel
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched:Matt Hunwick, Josh Jooris, Daniel Sprong, Thomas Di Pauli, Adam Johnson, Teddy Blueger, Garrett Wilson, Jean-Sebastien Dea, Lukas Bengtsson, Chris Summers, Jarred Tinordi, Andrey Pedan, Tristan Jarry, Michael Leighton
Injured:Evgeni Malkin (lower body), Carl Hagelin (upper body)

Capitals projected lineup

Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Tom Wilson
Chandler Stephenson -- Nicklas Backstrom -- T.J. Oshie
Brett Connolly -- Lars Eller -- Devante Smith-Pelly
Jakub Vrana -- Jay Beagle -- Alex Chiasson
Dmitry Orlov -- Matt Niskanen
Michal Kempny -- John Carlson
Brooks Orpik -- Christian Djoos
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratched: Jakub Jerabek , Travis Boyd, Madison Bowey, Shane Gersich, Pheonix Copley, Nathan Walker
Injured:Andre Burakovsky (upper body)

Status report

Burakovsky, a forward injured in Game 2 of the first round against the Columbus Blue Jackets, is recovering from surgery and has not skated on his own. … Sullivan drew laughter when he answered "probably not" after being asked if Malkin would play where he practiced, on the fourth line, if he's healthy enough.