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BOX SCORE
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Three games into his comeback, Mario Lemieux
has already seen virtually every defensive gimmick possible -- lots
of checking, the neutral zone trap, defensemen who shadow him and
try to put a stick on him.
|  | | Mario Lemieux tips in a power-play goal in the first period as he scored the third goal in his three-game comeback.
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What he still hasn't seen is a defense that works.
Jaromir Jagr scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and
set up Pittsburgh's first two goals as the Penguins stayed unbeaten
since Lemieux's return, beating the Washington Capitals 3-2
Wednesday night.
Jagr's three-point night -- he assisted on goals by Lemieux and
linemate Jan Hrdina -- gave him five goals and five assists in the
three games since Lemieux returned from a 3½-year retirement.
Lemieux scored a power-play goal at 6:35 of the first period on
a pass from Jagr, then set up Jagr's 24th goal at 11:53 of the
third. Lemieux has three goals and six assists as the Penguins have
gone 3-0 since his return a week ago.
"I didn't expect to play this well, but I'm not surprised
because I expected to play at a high level," Lemieux said.
The Capitals were more physical than the Toronto Maple Leafs and
Ottawa Senators were in Lemieux's first two games, going out of their way
to hit Lemieux whenever possible while playing their no-risk
neutral-zone trap.
"You can't afford to be sitting back and watching him," Steve
Konowalchuk said. "I thought we did a pretty good job, but we
didn't win the game. We believe we're good enough that we should
win this game. We believe we can beat them."
The Penguins took advantage of the few good scoring chances they
got, answering the Capitals' trap with a patience they didn't
always possess before Lemieux returned.
"This is the NHL, this is the best hockey in the world, and
there are pretty big boys out there," Lemieux said. "That's the
way they play. And we have to make plays to take advantage of it.
We all have to get used to it."
On the go-ahead goal, Hrdina skated from behind the net and
managed to direct the puck to Lemieux along the left-wing boards.
Lemieux then rammed a pass directly on Jagr's stick as he skated
toward the net to the left of goalie Olaf Kolzig.
"He (Lemieux) just turned and fired it and there it was,"
Capitals defenseman Ken Klee said. "It was a nothing play behind
the net and, all of a sudden, wham, he turned and fired it."
The Hrdina-Lemieux-Jagr line accounted for all three goals
against one of the NHL's best road teams -- the Capitals were 5-1 in
their previous six road games -- and now has 10 goals with Lemieux
in the lineup.
"They checked us and played us tight the whole game, so we just
had to wait for our chances," defenseman Jiri Slegr said.
"They've always played a strong trap, and we didn't get too
much."
As much as Lemieux and Jagr contributed offensively, defenseman
Darius Kasparaitis was impressed at their contributions in the
defensive end.
"They tried to hit the big guy, but Mario and Jaromir were
backchecking and working hard in the defensive zone," Kasparaitis
said. "We can play tough defense, too."
Lemieux continued to torment the Capitals, just as he did before
retiring in 1997, and has 48 goals and 94 points in 56 career games
against Washington.
The Penguins spent much of an hour-long practice Tuesday working
on their power play, then converted on their first opportunity with
the man-advantage when Lemieux tapped in a Jagr pass from the right
circle.
Hrdina took a Jagr pass in full stride and lifted it over
Kolzig's pad to make it 2-1 at 9:50 of the second. Washington's
Peter Bondra tied it by scoring his 21st at 15:05, matching his
season total of a season ago.
Konowalchuk earlier tied it at 1, steering Calle Johansson's
shot from the right point past Snow.
Snow stopped 24 of 26 shots as the Penguins won their
season-high fourth in a row, all with him in goal. The Penguins won
in Buffalo on Dec. 26, the night before Lemieux made his comeback.
Game notes
Lemieux drew his first penalty since returning, a slashing
call with five seconds to play that gave Washington only its second
power play of the game. The penalty didn't prove costly as the
Penguins ran out the clock by tying up the puck following a faceoff
in front of Snow. ... Kolzig, back in net after missing a game
Monday for the birth of a son, turned aside 26 of 29 shots in only
his fourth defeat in 18 games. He is 13-4-1 during that span. ...
Penguins defenseman Janne Laukkanen left late in the second period
after taking a puck to the throat. He was held out after that for
precautionary reasons. ... Penguins coach Ivan Hlinka, urged by
Lemieux to go deeper on his bench, played his seldom-used fourth
line for about 5½ minutes apiece.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
RECAPS
Carolina 3
Tampa Bay 2
Columbus 5
Edmonton 2
Pittsburgh 3
Washington 2
Buffalo 1
Toronto 1
Atlanta 1
Minnesota 1
Chicago 6
Vancouver 0
Anaheim 3
Florida 2
Calgary 1
San Jose 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Mario Lemieux returns the favor, setting up Jaromir Jagr for the eventual game-winning goal.
avi: 660 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jaromir Jagr sneeks the puck to Mario Lemieux for a power-play goal in the first.
avi: 1140 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The puck rebounds off the boards and right to Steve Konowalchuk for the Capitals' first goal.
avi: 1060 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jan Hrdina wrists one past Capitals' goalie Olaf Kolzig.
avi: 1150 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Washington's Andrei Nikolishin finds Peter Bondra for the game-tying goal.
avi: 1070 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
A diving Garth Snow gets a little help from teammate Marc Bergevin's skate.
avi: 922 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 ESPN's Darren Pang talks with Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux after their victory over the Capitals.
wav: 712 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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