Bruins Live Blog: Tim Thomas Makes 34 Saves in B’s Shootout Win Over Capitals
David Krejci and Miroslav Satan scored in the shootout to finish off a solid team performance in which Michael Ryder scored two goals and Tim Thomas showed he will be ready for the playoffs with 34 saves.
The Bruins will now await the winner of Buffalo and New Jersey to find out their first round opponent. Thanks for joining us here and get ready for the playoffs!
End of overtime, 3-3: The Bruins and Caps are taking the regular season as far as they can here. If you're a B's fan you have to be pulling for Tim Thomas here, who has shown he will be ready in the pinch in the playoffs, with a brilliant 34-save performance through 65 minutes of play. We're headed to a shootout!
End of regulation, 3-3: For the second straight time, the Bruins and Caps will decide their game in overtime.
Third period, 4:18, 3-3: It's break-your-slump day here as Marco Sturm just scored his first goal in 16 games to tie the game for the Bruins in a see-saw affair here at the Verizon Center.
David Krejci had the helper on that goal.
Third period, 9:59, Caps 3-2: The Capitals just regained the lead on a goal by former Bruin Mike Knuble. The Verizon Center is awake again and things could get messy here for the Bruins.The Verizon Center jumbotron just did their "Unleash The Fury" montage.
Dennis Wideman appears to be OK as he took another shift.
Third period, 12:35, 2-2: The Bruins and Caps just went 6:05 without a stoppage in play and for a good portion of that, defenseman Dennis Wideman played with what appeared to be an injured arm or hand after colliding with Shaone Morrison behind the Bruins' net. No word on Wideman's status but he is still on the bench.
Third period, 18:40, 2-2: The Bruins and Caps have begun what could be the final period of their regular seasons.
End of second period, 2-2: For a game that means nothing but pride to both teams and maybe winning some awards for Mike Green and Alexander Ovechkin, both teams are playing hard today and we're headed to the third period tied at two.
Tim Thomas has come up with some huge saves after letting in one he should've had on Alexander Semin early in the first period. Also, you have to like the steady rise in Dennis Wideman's game as the embattled defenseman continues to find his confidence just in time for the playoffs.
Second period, 2:40, 2-2: The Bruins killed off another Caps' power play to keep the game tied at two.
Second period, 5:23, 2-2: Dennis Wideman is headed to the penalty box and the Caps will be on their second power play. They're 0-for-1.
Second period, 8:03, 2-2: Capitals forward Jason Chimera must be getting good food or something in the penalty box because he's in there for the third time today and the Bruins are on their fourth power play. They're 1-for-3.
Second period, 8:48, 2-2: With a break in the action, thought Bruins fans may want to send thanks to Thrashers forward Evander Kane for knocking out public enemy No. 1 last night!
Second period, 13:08, 2-2: Tim Thomas has come up with some big saves here in the middle frame to keep the game tied at two. The Bruins are headed on their third power play as well with Natick native John Carlson in the sin-bin. They're 1-for-2.
One has to wonder, with Tuukka Rask likely slated to start every playoff game, is this Thomas' last game in a Bruins uniform? Ironically, the Capitals were rumored to be interested in the 2009 Vezina Trophy winner. Is this an audition for next season?
Second period, 17:50, 2-2: Underway in the second frame here and one has to wonder when Alexander Ovechkin decides to get going and puts his name on another Hart and Rocket Richard trophy?
End of first period, 2-2: All knotted at two here after the first period in a rather chippy and sloppy affair for both sides. Michael Ryder has been the story for the Bruins thus far with two goals. After an off season and twelve games without a goal, maybe Ryder has showed up just in time for the playoffs?
We shall see, but that would be nice because the Bruins could use his scoring — and any scoring for that matter. Ryder, as Claude Julien has pointed out, has the "best shot" on the team and if he can find a way to get it going again, that could be a solid weapon against either Martin Brodeur or Ryan Miller, the two superstar goalies the Bruins may face in the first round.
Good first period for the rookie Zach Hamill as he got his first NHL point with an assist on the first Ryder goal and also drew the penalty on Alexander Ovechkin that led to the second goal. Congrats to Hamill!
First period, 4:45, 2-2: Michael Ryder scored his second goal of the game and the Bruins' first power-play goal in 25 attempts with 5:05 left but the Capitals came right back and tied it on a Eric Belanger tally 19 seconds later. This game has picked right back up!
On the Ryder goal, Dennis Wideman got the helper and has now registered a point in five straight games.
First period, 5:33, 1-1: Alexander Ovechkin just christened Zach Hamill with a butt-end to the face and will go to the sin-bin for two. The Bruins are headed onto their second power play. Welcome to the NHL, Zach, and thanks for taking one for the team!
First period, 8:52, 1-1: The pace of this game has calmed down a bit and that may have to do with the Bruins' consistent penalty-killing as they have already killed off two Washington power plays.
First period, 12:14, 1-1: Bruins defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk is in the box for holding and the Caps are on their second power play. They're 0-for-1.
First period, 14:31, 1-1: Michael Ryder just beat Semyon Varlamov to tie the game for the Bruins. That was Ryder's first goal in his last twelve games.
Milan Lucic had the helper on the Ryder goal and now has a goal and two assists in his last three games.
Jason Chimera is headed back to the sin-bin on a ten-minute misconduct as well.
First period,17:17, Capitals 1-0: The Capitals just took an early lead here as Alexander Semin beat Tim Thomas short-side on a goal Thomas clearly wanted back because only seconds later, Jason Chimera ran into him and Thomas started pounding away on Chimera. The Caps will now have a chance to pad their lead on a power play Thomas got a double-minor and Chimera got a minor.
First period, 18:58: Underway here in a sea of red at the Verizon Center. This game has no effect on the standings but Alexander Ovechkin can still win the scoring title again.
Noon: Greetings from high above the ice at Verizon Center and what may as well be called "Irish Row" as I'm seated between Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com and Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com. Also, Bruins legend Terry O'Reilly is here as well. Cue the Dropkick Murphys!
We will all be "Shipping Up to Boston" tomorrow but where will the Bruins be headed on Wednesday or Thursday for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs?
If you want to know, be sure to find a way to watch the Devils-Sabres game today. The Bruins, locked into the sixth slot in the East, will play the third seed who will be the loser of that game later today at 5 p.m. ET.
With Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Mark Recchi, Vladimir Sobotka and Tuukka Rask all resting today, as we noted below, Jeff Penner and Zach Hamill are in the lineup today and the latter will be making his NHL debut.
“It’s an opportunity for him to show
what he can do at this level,” Claude Julien said of the 2007 first round pick Hamill. “It’s also an opportunity for him
to see what this level represents and hopefully give him a better idea what he
has to go through in the summertime to get ready for next year’s camp. He’s
played some exhibition games, now it’s an opportunity to play a real game, a
meaningful game. For him it’s not a non-pressure
situation. He’s going to feel the pressure of wanting to show
what he can do and that’s the way he’s going to approach it."
Hamill will center Milan Lucic and Blake Wheeler. Here's the rest of the lineup:
Forwards
Milan Lucic–Zach Hamill–Blake Wheeler
Marco Sturm–David Krejci–Miroslav Satan
Brad Marchand–Trent Whitfield–Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille–Steve Begin–Shawn Thornton
Defensemen
Jeff Penner-Dennis Wideman
Matt Hunwick–Johnny Boychuk
Andrew Bodnarchuk–Adam McQuaid
Goaltenders
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
10:48 a.m.: Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi are all taking the day off.
Also, Tuukka Rask will be taking it easy as Tim Thomas is getting the start.
9:30 a.m.: The Bruins (38-30-13, 89 points) are in the Nation's capital for the regular season finale with the Washington Capitals (54-15-12, 120 points) in a high-noon puck drop.
With both teams already locked into their playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference — the Bruins currently in sixth and the Capitals in first — this game is going to be a good chance to build some confidence heading into the postseason.
Both the Capitals and Bruins have been hot as of late and Sunday's winner will carry a winning streak into the playoffs as the Bruins are looking for their third straight win and the Capitals their sixth.
There could be some stars resting today. Alexander Ovechkin will most likely play for the Capitals as he tries to nail down his third straight Hart Trophy and another Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals.
On the Boston side, the Bruins have said that Zach Hamill, who was called up from Providence, will play, meaning a forward will sit. On defense, Jeff Penner was called up from the P-Bruins as well, meaning maybe Zdeno Chara (broken nose) will get a rest after logging loads of minutes down the stretch with a depleted defense. There is also the chance Tim Thomas gets the nod to give Tuukka Rask a rest but Claude Julien may want to keep Rask, who hasn't lost in regulation since April 1, on a roll.
