Letang Lifts Penguins Over Capitals With OT Goal

Goaltender Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals makes a save on a shot by Maxime Talbot #25 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Goaltender Simeon Varlamov #40 of the Washington Capitals is hemmed in the net after Shaone Morrisonn #26 and Mike Green #52 of the Capitals bring down Evgeni Malkin #71 and Bill Guerin #13 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Three of the Eastern Confe (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Kris Letang #58 and Bill Guerin #13 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate Letang's overtime goal against the Washington Capitals. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Defenseman Kris Letang picked the perfect time to score his first playoff goal, blasting a screamer from near the blue line that ricocheted off Washington goaltender Simeon Varlamov and into the net at 11:23 of the extra period.

Letang had been a doubt to even start the game after suffering a left shoulder sprain in Game Two.

The Penguins were on the verge of sealing the victory in regulation time before the Caps' Nicklas Backstrom scored a power-play goal to tie the game at 2-2 with just under two minutes remaining.

Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring at 1:23 of the first period before Ruslan Fedotenko equalised at 9:29 in the second.

Evgeni Malkin, scoreless through the first two games of the series and overshadowed by the duel between Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, put the Pens back in front with a snap shot at 15:01 in the third before Backstrom sent the game into overtime.

Capitals' netminder Varlamov finished with 39 saves.