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On the Penguins: A 'Classic' nightmare against the Capitals

It was a day Eric Fehr never will forget.

One the Penguins and their fan base won’t be able to, no matter how hard they try.

For on that soggy winter day — Jan. 1, 2011, five years ago this Friday — they took the first steps from being a team that was dominating the NHL to one that would fail to survive the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Penguins were a league-best 25-11-3 as they prepared to face Washington in the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field, thanks in part to a sensational start by center Sidney Crosby.