Capitals 4, Penguins 2

Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin scored 27 seconds apart in the third period as Washington avoided elimination by beating Pittsburgh in Game 5 on Saturday night.

Nicklas Backstrom tied the score early in the third as the Capitals finally solved Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who allowed four goals on 32 shots. Washington's comeback spoiled the return of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby after a one-game absence due to a concussion.

Crosby had an assist and Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel also scored for the Penguins, who lead the second-round series 3-2 with Game 6 back in Pittsburgh on Monday night.

While Fleury struggled for the first time against the Capitals, Vezina Trophy finalist Braden Holtby had his best game of the series, stopping 20 shots. Andre Burakovsky also scored for Washington.

Even though players were loose at the morning skate facing elimination, the nerves were palpable inside the arena even before puck drop. When an early Capitals power play went nowhere and Hagelin made it 1-0 Pittsburgh 10:24 in, it got quiet fast — except for Penguins fans' derisive chants of "HOLT-BY, HOLT-BY."

Burakovsky pumped some energy back in with a psychologically important goal with 29.7 seconds remaining in the first period, his first of the playoffs. He earned a promotion to the top line because of his strong play in the series but scored back with the third line on a toe drag that bought him space and a shot that froze Fleury.

Hours after defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk bemoaned that ill-timed penalties were hurting the Capitals, a holding call on Nate Schmidt paved the way for another momentum shift as Kessel scored on the power play 4:20 into the second. The Penguins went into the second intermission with a lead having won 37 of 39 games in that spot during the regular season and all six in the playoffs.

It took an individual effort from Backstrom to begin Washington's stunning turnaround. The Capitals' top-line center carried the puck up the ice, executed a give-and-go with Burakovsky and beat Fleury for the tying goal at 2:49 of the third.

With the crowd buzzing again, Kuznetsov sparked more chants of "FLEU-RY, FLEU-RY," by scoring the go-ahead goal from a sharp angle 7:20 into the third. It was his fifth goal of the playoffs and fourth in the series.

Ovechkin wasted no time making it 4-2 and making coach Barry Trotz look like a genius for dropping him to the third line as he wired a shot past Fleury at 7:47. Trotz talked about spreading offense throughout the lineup, and his flipping Burakovsky and Ovechkin allowed for Washington's first goal from its bottom two lines in five games.

Late Friday

Ducks 4, Oilers 3

Corey Perry scored 6:57 into the second overtime after Anaheim rallied from a three-goal deficit in the final minutes of regulation, completing a spectacular victory over Edmonton and seizing a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Rickard Rakell put the tying goal through a crowd of prone players with 15 seconds left in regulation to cap a stunning sequence of three goals in just over three minutes, all with goalie John Gibson pulled for an extra attacker.

After nearly 27 tense minutes of overtime, Perry collected a pass from Ryan Getzlaf and waited out a sprawling Cam Talbot to finish Anaheim's third straight win — and the first home victory for either team in the series.

Perry finished with a goal and two assists, posting another memorable playoff game following an unimpressive regular season for the former NHL MVP. Gibson made 35 saves, helping the Ducks move one win away from their second trip to the Western Conference finals in three seasons.

Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Drake Caggiula scored during a dominant second period, but the Oilers coughed up a big late lead despite solid play by Talbot, who stopped 60 shots.