This Date in Caps History - November 25

On November 25, 1998, the Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins by a 5-4 score in a seesaw battle at MCI Center.

After a scoreless first period in which the teams each mustered seven shots on goal, Washington’s Chris Simon got the Caps on the board first with a goal at the 39-second mark of the second period. Pittsburgh’s Stu Barnes answered at 7:22. Peter Bondra put the Caps back in front with his eighth goal of the season at 12:18. Barnes’ second of the night – this one on the power play – knotted the game at 15:08. With just 1:16 remaining in the middle frame, Andrei Nikolishin netted his second of the season, enabling the Caps to take a 3-2lead into their locker room. The Capitals outshot Pittsburgh 12-6 in the middle period.

Just 1:41 into the third, Barnes scored another power play goal to complete his hat trick and tie the game at 3-3. At 10:30 of the third, Adam Oates scored his sixth of the season to give Washington its fourth lead of the evening. It would be short-lived. Just 24 seconds after Oates’ goal, Martin Straka tucked the puck behind Olaf Kolzig to lift the Penguins into a 4-4 tie. With 3:38 remaining in regulation, Bondra beat Pittsburgh’s Tom Barrasso for his second of the night. This time, the Penguins weren’t able to answer and the Caps escaped with a 5-4 victory. The Caps held the advantage in shots in the third, 12-9, and outshot the Penguins on the night by a 31-22 count.