Wideman had scored a goal and played like the Wideman of last season but he took a penalty at the most inopportune time and the Caps made him pay. Nicklas Backstrom, who was brilliant on the night with a goal and two assists, started the play over to Alexander Semin, who found Laich in the slot. Tuukka Rask (27 saves) couldn’t get over in time and the Capitals took away a point that the Bruins dearly needed. The Bruins remain in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, one behind the Canadiens and one ahead of the eighth-place Flyers.
End of regulation, 2-2: The Bruins will get at least a point tonight as the game is headed to overtime tied at two. The Bruins had their chances with two power plays in the third but couldn’t convert. They then held on for the point and hope to get another here in overtime, or in the shootout, should it be needed.
Third period, 1:30, 2-2: The Capitals killed off another Bruins power play and have the momentum back here as time winds down.
Third period, 5:01, 2-2: Brooks Laich just tripped up Dennis Wideman as Wideman tried to break out, and the Bruins have another chance to win this game as they go on their third power play.
Third period, 5:56, 2-2: The Bruins have put themselves right where they need to be at this point. They’ve gone toe-to-toe with the best team in the NHL and now it’s time to get the two points they have worked so hard for.
Third period, 8:03, 2-2: The Bruins had some solid chances on their second power play but couldn’t solve Jose Theodore, who now has 27 saves. They’re 0-for-2 now.
Third period, 10:03, 2-2: The Bruins have a great chance to regain the lead as Tyler Sloan was called for tripping. They’re 0-for-1 tonight.
Third period, 13:28, 2-2: As we pointed out before, this is the Bruins’ game in hand, with all the other teams they’re battling for a playoff spot idle. Colleague Michael Hurley did a nice piece on how the Leafs will help control the Bruins’ destiny today, but really, it will come down to the Bruins. If they play the way they have been playing, then they can run the table or at least have a chance to do so.
Third period, 15:37, 2-2: Mark Recchi has 109 points versus Washington in his career. That is the most all-time by an NHL player against the Capitals.
Third period, 18:47, 2-2: Under way in the final frame as the Bruins battle the Capitals for a huge two points.
Second intermission, 2-2: We’ve got a great game going on at the Verizon Center, and ironically, the second period ended in a similar fashion to the first. Just as the Capitals did in the first period, the Bruins really controlled the tempo in the second after taking an early lead.
The Bruins were putting on constant pressure and had the Caps on their heels for a bit. But one small defensive breakdown allowed the Capitals to tie the game. Zdeno Chara got back down low late, and by the time he arrived, Mike Knuble was coming in at full speed and banged home the Alexander Ovechkin feed.
But other than that, we’ve seen a pretty even game. The shots are at 18 apiece and the goals were nothing fancy but instead, a result of hard work and smart hockey. The Bruins need more of that in the third if they are to take at least a point from this game or win, becoming only the sixth team to beat the Capitals this season at the Verizon Center.
End of second period, 2-2: After a great period, the Bruins had one letdown and it cost them, as the Capitals tie the game at two.
Second period, 28.8 seconds, 2-2: Mike Knuble is simply a runaway freight train in front of the net, and not even Zdeno Chara could stop the 2003 Seventh Player Award winner. Knuble rushed the net and knocked in an Alexander Ovechkin feed to tie the game at two with 28.8 ticks left in the second period.
Second period, 1:43, Bruins 2-1: The Milan Lucic–Patrice Bergeron–Mark Recchi line is playing great. You have to love the crash-and-bang style the two wingers add to the finesse of Bergeron.
Second period, 5:50, Bruins 2-1: Dennis Wideman has scored a goal and is a plus-1 in 13:38 of ice time over 15 shifts. Those are huge numbers when you consider that the Bruins have no Mark Stuart or Dennis Seidenberg.
Second period, 7:48, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins deserve a lot of credit for not folding or letting frustration get to them tonight. Jose Theodore has been strong for the Caps, but the Bruins have found new ways to get the shots through to him and create offense.
Second period, 12:05, Bruins 2-1: Dennis Wideman is playing one of his best games of the season. He broke up a play in his own end and then made a beautiful breakout pass to Mark Recchi. Recchi fed it to Milan Lucic who found Patrice Bergeron for the go-ahead goal.
Second period, 14:49, 1-1: The referees just missed what should’ve been a double-minor for high-sticking to Alexander Semin. Semin got his stick up in the face of Zdeno Chara and the B’s captain came away bleeding profusely. But somehow there was no call.
Second period, 16:44, 1-1: The Bruins failed to score on an early power play and now find themselves shorthanded thanks to a David Krejci cross-checking penalty.
First intermission, 1-1: The Bruins didn’t give up in that opening frame, and that’s why they’re tied at one with the Capitals. While the two teams matched each other shift for shift in the first 15 minutes, the Capitals seemed to sit back a bit in the final five minutes. The Bruins, of course, were happy to oblige and let go an onslaught of shots down the stretch that led to the game-tying goal by Dennis Wideman.
Wideman deserves some props as he has played much better in the last three games — and, finally, he was rewarded. It’s obviously been a tough season for Wideman, but if he can turn it around now, with Mark Stuart and Dennis Seidenberg out, that would be huge for the Bruins. Zdeno Chara also deserves credit on that goal for realizing he didn’t have a shot, spinning around and dishing it to Wideman for the one-timer.
The Bruins really crashed the net in that first period, and while Jose Theodore stood his ground for most of the period, the pressure may have gotten to him at the end.
End of first period, 1-1: The Bruins gained some steam late in the period, kept pouring on the shots and, with 1.6 ticks left on the clock, the embattled Dennis Wideman took a one-time feed from Zdeno Chara and blasted it through traffic in front to beat Jose Theodore and tie the game at one for the Bruins. Patrice Bergeron had the other helper.
First period, 3:34, Capitals 1-0: Great end-to-end action at the Verizon Center since that lengthy review on the Nicklas Backstrom goal. But the Bruins have been unable to solve Jose Theodore, who is playing like the goalie that stole playoff series from the Bruins in 2002 and 2004. Tuukka Rask, meanwhile, has shown why he leads the NHL in GAA and save percentage.
First period, 10:22, Capitals 1-0: When you’re cold, you’re cold, and you can’t blame Michael Ryder for not scoring just now, as he was robbed by former Habs teammate Jose Theodore with a sprawling pad save.
Ryder, who has just one goal in his last 18 games, kept pounding away on Theodore after a flurry of Bruins chances but couldn’t beat the former winner of the Hart and Vezina trophies.
First period, 12:24, Capitals 1-0: After a six-minute review, Nicklas Backstrom’s shot that trickled through Tuukka Rask and danced on the goal line was ruled a goal, giving the Capitals a 1-0 lead. Rask couldn’t swat the puck away in time, and for the third straight game, the Bruins find themselves down 1-0. Alexander Ovechkin and former Bruin Mike Knuble get the helpers.
First period, 19:40, 0-0: We’re underway at Verizon Center as the Bruins try to upset the Capitals and take advantage of playing while the teams they’re competing with for a playoff spot are idle.
6:55 p.m.: Almost set for faceoff at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and news from NESN rinkside reporter Naoko Funayama is that Dennis Seidenberg is out for tonight’s big tilt with the Capitals. The German rearguard took part in pregame warmups but didn’t take part in line rushes. Shawn Thornton (upper body) is also out, so the lineups below are what you will see tonight.
On the other end, Capitals defenseman and Norris Trophy candidate Mike Green has the night off as the Capitals begin to rest their stars for the playoffs. They have now clinched the President’s Trophy, the Eastern Conference regular season title and the Southwest Division title. The Bruins may luck out even more when they play here next Sunday in the regular season finale. But for now, they won’t have to deal with probably the NHL’s most dangerous offensive defenseman.
Tuukka Rask (20-12-4) brings his league-leading goals-against average (1.97) and save percentage (.931) into tonight’s game, and his counterpart will be Jose Theodore, who is 28-7-7 record with a .909 save percentage and a 2.85 GAA.
2 p.m.: The Bruins had their game-day skate at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. this morning, and word from esteemed colleague Naoko Funayama is that defenseman Dennis Seidenberg — who suffered a laceration on his wrist Saturday night in Toronto — is a game-time decision tonight for the Bruins monster game with the Capitals.
Seidenberg skated briefly this morning before exiting with discomfort from his stitched up wrist. Defenseman Adam McQuaid has been called up on emergency basis and could see his first NHL action since February 13.
McQuaid actually played his first hockey game since February 13 with Providence yesterday. The rugged rear guard has been out of action with a concussion.
With Mark Stuart now out for the remainder of the regular season and some of the playoffs should the Bruins make the postseason, rookie Andrew Bodnarchuk will definitely play his second NHL game tonight if Seidenberg can’t go.
Also of note is that the struggling Michael Ryder (one goal in his last 19 games) will be on the third line with Blake Wheeler and Vladimir Sobotka. Shawn Thornton will be out with an upper body injury for the third straight game.
Tuukka Rask, recently named the NHL’s Third Star for last week, will start in net. Rask posted a 2-1-0 record with a 0.55 goals-against average, .977 save percentage and one shutout in four appearances.
Here’s tonight’s expected lineup if Seidenberg can’t play:
Forwards
Milan Lucic–Patrice Bergeron–Mark Recchi
Marco Sturm–David Krejci–Miroslav Satan
Blake Wheeler–Vladimir Sobotka–Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille–Steve Begin–Brad Marchand
Defensemen
Zdeno Chara–Dennis Wideman
Matt Hunwick–Johnny Boychuk
Andrew Bodnarchuk–Adam McQuaid
Goaltenders
Tuukka Rask
Tim Thomas
7:26 a.m.: The Bruins (36-30-12, 84 points) are in the nation’s capital Monday night to face the best team in the NHL, the Washington Capitals (51-15-12, 114 points) at the always rocking Verizon Center where the Caps have lost only five times this season.
While the powerful Capitals may not seem like a team the Bruins want to face twice in their final two games (they close the regular season at Washington on April 11), the Capitals have little to play for as they have clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference. They might decide to pull back on the minutes for their stars and the Bruins could actually benefit.
Another positive for the Bruins? The teams both behind and ahead of them in the race for the final playoff spots are all idle on Monday, so the B’s will get a chance to put some points on the board without keeping an eye on the out-of-town scores. With Boston tied with the Flyers with 84 points and the Canadiens two points up at 86, the Bruins can tie the Habs for sixth place and move two ahead of the Flyers, four ahead of the idle Rangers (82 points) and five ahead of the idle Thrashers (81 points).
Also of note, the Bruins found out Sunday that they temporarily will be without defenseman Mark Stuart, who had surgery for cellulitis on his finger and will be out two weeks. So it appears that rookie Andrew Bodnarchuk will play his second NHL game. Luckily, Dennis Seidenberg is OK after his wrist was slashed with a skate blade.
There are four games left in the regular season and the Bruins once again must find a way to follow up a big win with another one. The schedule has been kind to the Bruins on Monday, as they don’t have to scoreboard watch and can control their own destiny. It’s time for them to take advantage.
