There’s a definite difference here. It might be as big as the four-goal gulf that separated the teams who skated Saturday at Verizon Center, a 6-2 Penguins victory in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal that gave them a 2-0 lead in this series.

The Capitals are racking up shot attempts — 171 through two games — the way the Blue Jackets rang up hits. Same result, too. The Capitals outplayed the Penguins at the start and for stretches and look like darlings except when you turn your attention to the one stat that really matters — wins.


It’s not all that dissimilar to when you take a bigger-picture look at these franchises, either.


The Capitals have never won a Stanley Cup. They’ve been to one final. The Penguins, if they can figure out their starts, could become the first team to win back-to-back Cups since the Red Wings in 1997-98. With a 2-0 series lead, the thought of a ninth playoff series win in 10 tries against the Capitals is more than just smoke..........

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