Do the Capitals still have a chance of beating the Penguins?

Crosby wasn't the only Penguins player injured Monday. Were the Capitals planning this all along?

But with concussions, as we've come to know, no one really knows how an individual is going to react.

The debate if it was an intentional hit from Niskanen and whether he should have faced additional discipline from the league (the NHL announced he would have no hearing) has raged across the media and fan websites.

October 10, 2016 - Crosby is diagnosed with a concussion and misses the first six games of the 2016-17 season.

Game 5 is Friday night, back in Southern California (see full recap). His overall save percentage in the playoffs is at a career low (.909) despite entering the postseason with the best playoff save percentage of any active goalie. But as they so often do, the Penguins responded when Justin Schultz found the back of the net with a slap shot on the power play.

Washington carries a reputation of fizzling out in the postseason, and for good reason. Alex Ovechkin should expect more of the same. Second round exits are the norm, and the Penguins are a frequent foe in that situation.

Up two games, without Crosby and Letang and Matt Murray on the ice, and with the Penguins being outshot 142-94 in the series, could things finally start to unravel for Pittsburgh?

This isn't how it was supposed to go for the Washington Capitals. Even without Crosby, Pittsburgh is a very deadly team. Most of their issues stemmed from a poorly constructed supporting cast and frustration among their biggest stars. "They need to step up right now".

"He's very upbeat and he's very positive and we're very optimistic and we're hopeful we'll get him back in a timely fashion", head coach Mike Sullivan said on May 2. He could miss the rest of this series.

It was a year ago against the Penguins when the situation reversed itself and Oshie drew a high-sticking penalty that shouldn't have been called.

He says although he doesn't feel there was any intent to injure by Niskanen, he doesn't like when it's referred to as a "hockey play". He has 1.32 points per game when Crosby is not in the lineup, compared to 1.15 when Crosby dresses.

Getzlaf scored twice and assisted on two goals, including Jakob Silfverberg's game-winner 45 seconds into overtime, and the Ducks topped the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series on Wednesday night. To ensure Crosby is as healthy as can be for a potential third-round series, the team may keep him sidelined and see if it can get past Washington without him.

Sullivan, when discussing Crosby's absence with the media after Pittsburgh's optional skate on Tuesday afternoon, seemed as confident as ever in his remaining lineup. It also forced his team to figure out a way to survive without one of the games most brilliant catalysts while simultaneously trying to reign in their anger at what they considered a dirty hit.

Here is the phrase that should define this Capitals-Penguins series - "compete level". Washington has pumped 142 shots at Fleury through four games, almost 50 more shots than the Penguins have managed the other way (93).