PITTSBURGH — Let's get the fact out of the way. Kris Letang scored the game-winning

goal, an overtime tally that allowed Pittsburgh to beat Washington, 3-2. It ensured the teams'

pulse-quickening playoff series will go at least five games, as the Penguins cut their

best-of-seven deficit to 2-1.

But while Letang accepted the postgame hugs in the jubilant Mellon Arena mob scene, there was

no doubt who put the Penguins in position to win. Wednesday night was Evgeni Malkin's time to

show he belongs in every conversation about the best player in the world.

Malkin scored once, a go-ahead goal in the closing minutes of regulation. He had a game-high

nine shots, leaving Washington defenders grasping at air and forcing goaltender Simeon

Varlamov to have the game of his life.

Malkin was factor in nearly all of his 29 shifts, the game's best player nearly every second

of the 29:38 he was on the ice.

"He was at a different level, another level," Penguins coach Dan Byslma said. "He was dominant

with the puck. He had the one goal, which was fantastic, but he had other great opportunities.

It was great to see him respond and get that goal. He played a great game."

It was more impressive because he had to. Malkin was a nonfactor in Game One, a goat in Game

Two as the Capitals won both.

The Pittsburgh faithful knew their MVP candidate was under siege. Malkin's scoring touch had

disappeared, the criticism of his playoff failures was growing.

So the fans embraced their "other" son from the outset. During the introductions prior to Game

Three, the Igloo crowd gave its loudest ovation to Malkin. They repeatedly chanted his

nickname, "Geno, Geno," breathing support into their beleaguered superstar.

"The fans help me," the Russian said in his broken, uneasy English.

Malkin felt the lift, then carried the Penguins. He dazzled the crowd by dancing past every

Capital on the ice with six minutes left in a tie game, drawing a penalty. He kept dancing on

the power play, stepping around Brooks Laich and unleashing a high shot that gave Pittsburgh

the lead with only 4:59 left in regulation.

The cheers shifted from "Geno, Geno" to "MVP, MVP." The hero's tale was written.

The Capitals, however, had their own storybook ending in mind. Nicklas Backstrom silenced the

sellout crowd of 17,132, scoring on the power play with 1:50 left to send the game to

overtime.

But it was a game the Penguins deserved to win, and they finally did. Pittsburgh captain

Sidney Crosby won a faceoff in the Washington zone, and Letang's point shot deflected off

defenseman Shaone Morrisonn over a hard-luck Varlamov with 8:37 left in overtime.

It made sure the NHL's dream series can't end in Game Four on Friday night in Mellon Arena.

"They deserved today to win," Washington superstar Alexander Ovechkin said. "They played

better than us, and everyone seen it."

The Penguins desperately needed to avoid falling into a 3-0 series hole, and they played like

it. They had a 42-23 edge in shots, including a game-changing 15-4 advantage in the second

period.

"We could have scored a lot more," Crosby said. "We stuck to what we needed to do, and it was

good to see it pay off."

Only the night's best player beat Varlamov cleanly. Malkin's goal was all skill, but lucky

bounces accounted for the goals by Ruslan Fedotenko and Letang. The Capitals knew they wasted

the chance their goalie gave them.

"You get a goaltending effort like that, you have to win," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "They

don't come around every day."

Neither does a series like this, as the white T-shirt-wearing, towel-waving, sellout crowd of

17,132 would attest.