And now for an intraconference matchup: the NHL-best 23-8-2 Washington Capitals, whom the Bruins will face again on New Year’s Eve a few blocks from the Capital building.
This is the first of six games before the Bruins hit the halfway mark of the season, and it’s their last before the NHL’s holiday break, which will see the B’s return to action on Friday-Saturday with a more immediate home-and-home at and vs. Columbus.
Charlie Lindgren is in the Washington net and Jeremy Swayman starting for Boston. The Caps are without Alex Ovechkin but are not having a problem scoring goals.
FIRST PERIOD
After the game’s first couple of shifts were played in the Bruins’ end, some Boston forechecking pressure led to a couple of quality shots that made Lindgren move and the TD Garden crowd warm to the game.
Everyone’s favorite hockey villain this side of Sam Bennett, Tom Wilson, ran Charlie McAvoy and went down, but when McAvoy lined up Wilson on a subsequent shift, Wilson stiffened for the contact and McAvoy went to the ice. Consider it like a pair of short-handed goals accounting for a 1-1 score in the knockdown game.
Mason Lohrei goes to the penalty box at 7:58 … Caps to the powerplay. Bruins get the kill.
Nic Dowd breaks his skate, putting the Caps down to two centers. Spencer Carberry’s 11-7 line chart (see above) only lists, Dylan Strome, PIerre Luc-Dubois and Dowd down the middle.
Caps defenseman Martin Fehervary rams Johnny Beecher on the chase. Mark Kastelic goes in for the horse-collar grab and is immediately neutralized. He held off from his usual reaction, so it’s likely an official told him it’s a penalty. Boarding on Fehervary with 2:06 remaining in the period.
First shot at Lindgren is an intentional muffin to gain a faceoff.
Caps clear, but Justin Brazeau puts back a rebound to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead with 47.2 seconds left in the period. PPG for Brazeau on the rebound of a whipping wrister from Morgan Geekie at the right point.
The period ends 1-0 Boston. Shots are 6-3 B’s after one.
[Rink Rap: Belarussian right winger (left shot) Aliaksei Protas has quietly become one of the scarier forwards in the NHL. When there wasn’t much else to like about an aging Washington team in the shortened 2021 season, then-coach Peter Laviolette often spoke of Protas. This year, the 6-foot-6, 225-pound, 23-year-old winger has 14=15=29 totals in 33 games.]
SECOND PERIOD
Except for the odd shift, the Capitals lacked passion in their play through the first period; the second period is where we’ll see what they’ve got tonight.
Jordan Oesterle goes down hard when apparently tripped by Dylan Strome – no call – but shortly thereafter Brandon Carlo goes to the box for interfering with Wilson.
Washington PP: Looks like an easy kill until Jakub Vrana blasts home a one-timer from the right circle at 4:50 of the period, 1-1.
Some hockey axioms never die, and Nikita Zadorov almost cost his teammates when Andrew Mangiapane picked off his diagonal breakout pass but missed the net with his high, whipping wrister.
Zadorov would get his own look at Lindgren but similarly missed the net.
[Rink Rap: The trend right now is away from slapshots to hard wristers from the point, mostly because coverages are so aggressive but also because the wrister is hard to read.]
Predictably, the game has picked up steam in the second period, and high-end defensive plays keep nullifying strong system plays. Finally, a ripple as Caps defenseman Matt Roy goes to the penalty box for tripping up Pavel Zacha at 12:04 of the second. Bruins back on the powerplay …
Caps get the kill.
The grind resumes.
This game may test the patience of a casual fan, but a lifer like myself is intriguing as to all the micro-battles that determine which of these teams will have more quality opportunities to grab a win. It’s an compelling hockey game, primarily because of Washington’s excellent season and what that implies for a Boston team recently establishing traction and looking to discover its true ceiling.
Oliver Wahlstrom turns over the puck in the Boston zone, resulting in an extended possession for the Capitals and a quality shot from the left circle that misses the net. Whew.
Looks like David Pastrnak has left the bench.
Oesterle intends to bank a pass up the left wing, but a weird bounce makes it flop down the rink for icing.
Mangiapane sends a dangerous pass across the crease.
The Capitals were pushing for a go-ahead goal that did not materialize.
Despite a 13-7 shots advantage, the Bruins are fortunate to go to second intermission tied 1-1.
Washington dressed seven D’s, but Dylan McIlrath has played 1:45.
THIRD PERIOD
Bruins’ turn to push back. Is it in them?
An unfortunate play could change this whole game, as Wahlstrom rides Fehervary into the boards on the chase, and Fehervary needs time to recover his feet and leave the game. The arm went right up, and the default position is to call a major and a game misconduct because they cannot upgrade the penalty, they can only downgrade it. Right now the play is under review, but it holds the potential for a five-minute powerplay for the Capitals.
Assuming Fehervary will be OK, the mini-tragedy is this game could go to hell in a hand basket. Wahlstrom definitely was not intending to inflict harm to his opponent, but the call stands as five and a game for Frederic. No penalty on Pierre-Luc Dubois for tackling Wahlstrom in retaliation.
Caps PP: Vintage PK effort by the Bruins. Vrana has a clean look as the penalty winds down but misses the net. Swayman make a big save on the continuation shift.
The fans get riled up when Marchand goes down along the halfwall, no penalty forthcoming, fans now dialed into a 1-1 game with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.
Now both teams are down a forward with Wahlstrom gone. The count indicates that Pastrnak is back in the game.
Matching minors coming up on Dubois and Elias Lindholm with 12:44 left in regulation. It looks like the teams are going to skate four aside in front of their goalies (TV timeout).
Trevor van Riemsdyk bodies Lindholm in the slot, twisting the Bruins center into a pretzel, then does it again and the second time is called for hooking so Boston to the powerplay with 9:15 remaining in regulation.
Two chances right away, but McAvoy misses the net with a missile from the high slot, then Lindgren snares a solid one-timer from Marchand in the right circle. Caps get the kill.
7:17 left.
A beautiful transition play ends with Marchand to Lindholm, who pulls it around Lindgren. 2-1 Boston with 6:19 left.
Wilson ices the puck under Brazeau’s pressure.
Strom, Dowd and Dubois have combined for 10 faceoff wins in 38 draws.
The Bruins get insurance with 4:01 remaining, as Coyle puts back a save on Marchand.
We’re down to 2:00, and Lindgren has gone to the bench for an extra attacker.
This one may be over but for the pushing and shoving with the teams meeting again in Washington on New Year’s Eve.
Any updates from here will appear on X @MickColageo.
Drive safely.
Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah !
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 