Elias Lindholm scored with 6:19 remaining in the third period to break a deadlock, propelling the Boston Bruins to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday night. The Bruins executed a stellar penalty kill, denying the Capitals any shots on goal during a crucial five-minute penalty.
The game was tied at 1-1 when Charlie Coyle initiated a play with a lengthy clearing pass to Lindholm, who swiftly moved the puck to Brad Marchand at the blue line, setting up a two-on-one opportunity. Marchand then fed the puck back to Lindholm, who deceived goaltender Charlie Lindgren with a fake move before depositing a backhanded shot into the net, giving the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Coyle extended the lead to 3-1 just two minutes later, with Marchand sealing the victory with an empty-net goal. Justin Brazeau also tallied a goal, while Jeremy Swayman made 10 saves for the Bruins, who have now won four of their last five games and hold an 11-4-1 record since Joe Sacco assumed coaching duties from Jim Montgomery.
Jakub Vrana found the back of the net for the Capitals, who received 18 saves from Lindgren. Despite leading the Eastern Conference entering the day, the Capitals have stumbled in three of their last six games.
Key Takeaways:
– Capitals: Have posted a 10-6 record since Alexander Ovechkin sustained a leg injury on November 18.
– Bruins: Leading scorer David Pastrnak exited the game in the second period with an unspecified upper-body injury.
Key Moment:
Just ten seconds into the third period, Bruins forward Oliver Wahlstrom was ejected from the game with a major penalty and game misconduct for pushing Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary head-first into the boards. Washington failed to capitalize on the ensuing power play.
Key Stat:
The Capitals recorded a season-low 11 shots on goal.
