Boston is just 3-3-1 in their last seven games. After not once allowing more than four goals in a game in their first 42 games, the Bruins have now given up five goals in three of their last five games.
They'll have plenty of time to think about this one, as they'll be off until Ottawa comes to Boston next Tuesday. In the meantime, Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas, Tyler Seguin, Claude Julien and his staff will go to Ottawa for the All-Star festivities.
Third Period, 19:33, Capitals 5-3: The Capitals put this one away as former Bruin Dennis Wideman adds the clincher with an empty-net goal from the faceoff circle in his own end.
Third Period, 19:27, Capitals 4-3: The Bruins use their timeout with another faceoff in the Washington end that could be their last chance to tie this one up in the final minute.
Third Period, 18:24, Capitals 4-3: The Bruins with an offensive zone faceoff after Boychuk wins a key race with Chimera for an icing call. Rask has been pulled for the extra attacker.
Third Period, 14:26, Capitals 4-3: The Bruins with some pressure of their own, but they can't bang the puck in out of a scramble in front as Vokoun ties the puck up for the whistle.
Third Period, 11:28, Capitals 4-3: The Bruins looking very sloppy in their own zone, struggling to clear puck and get their own attack organized.
Third Period, 7:18, Capitals 4-3: The Caps take the lead once more with Matthieu Perreault completing the hat trick on a rebound in front.
Perreault banged home the puck from the top of the crease after Roman Hamrlik sent the initial shot from the blue line. That ended a Washington surge begun when Alexander Semin stole a McQuaid pass and broke in alone, but slipped his shot wide.
Third Period, 6:15, 3-3: The Bruins can't convert that chance, as the Caps kill off the penalty without giving Boston much in the way of quality opportunities.
Third Period, 4:15, 3-3: The Bruins get another power play as once again it's Perreault going to the box, this time for high-sticking Chara.
Third Period, 3:16, 3-3: Lots of action early in the third with both teams creating chances with some back-and-forth rushes, but it remains tied.
Third Period, 0:00, 3-3: The final frame is under way in Washington, where the teams will look to settle this one after being deadlocked 3-3 through two periods.
Second Intermission Notes: Lots of scoring in a wide-open second period leaves the sides all even at 3-3.
Good work by the fourth line creating some energy and momentum, and by the Bergeron line cashing in with goals by Seguin and Marchand. Bergeron also 12-3 on faceoffs as the Bruins are now 24-16 (60 percent) on draws even though rest of team is just 12-13.
Steven Kampfer picked up an assist for his first point since his season debut back on Oct. 20. he's looked much better in this one than in Sunday's brief appearance in Philadelphia.
End Second Period, 3-3: The Bruins and Caps will have to settle this one in the third as it remains tied after two periods despite a chance in front for David Krejci in the closing seconds of the middle frame.
Second Period, 17:42, 3-3: The Bruins convert the power play as Brad Marchand scores to tie it again.
Bergeron had the initial shot from the slot, with Dennis Seidenberg following that with a blast from the left point on the rebound. Marchand finally banged home the second rebound at the left post.
Second Period, 16:51, Capitals 3-2: The Bruins get their first power-play chance as Perreault is called for hooking.
Second Period, 16:24, Capitals 3-2: Matt Hendricks, a former Bruins farmhand traded for Johnny Boychuk, gets hit up high by a Krejci dump-in at the blue line. Hendricks heads right to the Caps locker room for repairs.
Second Period, 14:23, Capitals 3-2: The Capitals answer right back and retake the lead as Matthieu Perreault scores his second of the night.
Johnny Boychuk tried an ill-advised backhand back in center ice that Perreault picked off and broke in alone for the tally.
Second Period, 12:21, 2-2: The Bruins pull back even as Tyler Seguin steals the puck in the high slot and drives to net, scoring with a nifty backhander in front.
That came shortly after Steven Kampfer rang the post with a shot from the right slot.
Second Period, 8:38, Capitals 2-1: The Bruins kill off that penalty without allowing a shot as Chara exits the box and the sides return to even strength.
Second Period, 6:38, Capitals 2-1: The Bruins are shorthanded for the first time as both Zdeno Chara and Adam McQuaid pick up minors for roughing and only Jason Chimera goes to the box for Washington after the Boston defensemen took exception to Chimera taking some extra jabs at Rask in a scrum in front of the net.
Second Period, 5:38, Capitals 2-1: The Bruins' fourth line stems Washington's momentum with a strong shift, creating some chances down low and plenty of possession time in the Caps zone to help Boston settle things down a bit.
Second Period, 2:55, Capitals 2-1: The Caps take the lead with their second goal in less than a minute.
Mathieu Perreault redirects one from the high slot after Alexander Semin faked a shot from the right wing and passed it to the middle.
Second Period, 2:14, 1-1: The Caps tie it up on a fortunate bounce of their own as Cody Eakin gets the goal.
Rask made the initial save, but knocked the puck into the net himself trying to gain control.
Second Period, 0:44, Bruins 1-0: The hitting continues as Dennis Wideman upends former teammates Milan Lucic with a hip check.
Second Period, 0:00, Bruins 1-0: The middle frame is under way in Washington, where the Bruins will look to build on their one-goal lead. David Krejci is back on the bench for Boston.
First Intermission Notes: It was a solid road period for the Bruins to open this one, though there has to be concern for the status of David Krejci. Krejci was hurt blocking a shot early in the period. He returned briefly, but did not finish the period.
Krejci skated five shifts for 4:03 with two shots, as he created several good scoring chances before leaving. Chris Kelly and Patrice Bergeron both spent time in Krejci's spot between Milan Lucic and Rich Peverley. Peverley, who is replacing Nathan Horton on that line himself, got the lone goal with a shot that actually went in off Caps defenseman Karl Alzner's stick. Bergeron was out for that shift and picked up an assist along with Dennis Seidenberg, who started the play witha well-timed pinch as the Bruins defense continues to pick its spots well to chip in offensively.
The Bruins had a 12-10 edge in shots, but the Caps had the advantage in most of the other stat categories. Washington outhit the Bruins 14-7, repeating a trend from recent games with Boston absorbing many more hits than it's dishing out. The Bruins are also just 7-9 on faceoffs (44 percent). Bergeron is 5-2, but the rest of the team is a combined 2-7, with Gregory Campbell 0-4.
End First Period, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins close out the first period with a one-goal lead, but without David Krejci, who missed the end of that frame after taking a shot off his foot earlier.
First Period, 17:46, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins get the first goal as Rich Peverley scores on a fortunate bounce.
He came down the left side and tried to center the puck from behind the net to Lucic in front. Washington defenseman Karl Alzner blocked the pass, but sent the puck into the net for the score.
First Period, 16:10, 0-0: The Bruins with a great chance in front after a Washington turnover in the Caps zone. Brad Marchand sets up Patrice Bergeron in front, but he can't put it home.
First Period, 12:57, 0-0: The Capitals with some pressure on Rask, with Mike Knuble creating multiple chances down low, but it remains scoreless.
First Period, 10:34, 0-0: Not a lot of chances early as the teams are feeling each other out a bit in the opening period as the Bruins and Caps finally face each other for the first time this season.
First Period, 6:49, 0-0: Tuukka Rask finally called upon to make his first stop, and he turns aside bid by Mathieu Perreault. Shots are 5-1 Bruins early in this one.
First Period, 5:33, 0-0: The Bruins with an offensive zone faceoff after a Caps icing, and the top line is back out again. David Krejci takes the draw, as he gets right back on ice after leaving last shift in pain after blocking a shot off his foot.
First Period, 3:26, 0-0: The Bruins with the first real solid scoring chance of the game as David Krejci has an opportunity in front, but Vokoun makes the stop.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: The final game before the All-Star break is under way in Washington, where the Bruins will be looking to head into the time off on a high note against a Capitals squad minus stars Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green.
7 p.m.: The Bruins will open with their revamped top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Rich Peverley up front, Dennis Seidenberg and Joe Corvo on defense and Tuukka Rask in goal.
The capitals counter with Jason Chimera, Jeff Halpern and former Bruin Mike Knuble up front, Karl Alzner and another ex-Bruin Dennis Wideman on the blue line, with Tomas Vokoun in net.
6:55 p.m.: The Bruins have officially scratched Nathan Horton (concussion) and Andrew Ference (suspension).
Alex Ovechkin (suspension), Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Jeff Schultz are out for Washington.
6:40 p.m.: Based on warm-ups, the lineup changes with Nathan Horton out will be as expected, with Rich Peverley skating in Horton's spot alongside David Krejci and Milan Lucic.
Zach Hamill returns to the lineup and will play in Peverley's spot on the third line with Chris Kelly and Benoit Pouliot.
6:30 p.m.: Tuukka Rask leads the Bruins out for warm-ups in Washington. He will get the start in goal for the Bruins.
Tomas Vokoun first out for Washington, so he'll be in net for the Capitals.
6 p.m.: The Bruins will take the ice for the last time before the All-Star break in about an hour, but they'll do it without Nathan Horton for the first time this season.
Horton suffered a mild concussion on Sunday and will not play against Washington.
Bruins coach Claude Julien wouldn't reveal his starting goaltender for the game. Tim Thomas was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, but may have left early just to avoid the media wishing to ask about his White House boycott on Monday. Tuukka Rask could be line line for the start after Thomas played Sunday in Philadelphia and allowed a season-high five goals.
8 a.m. ET: The Bruins play their final game before the All-Star break Tuesday in Washington when they take on the Capitals for the first time this season.
That's in stark contrast to last year, when the Bruins played the Caps three times in their first 10 games and finished the season series on Dec. 18.
Washington (25-19-3, 53 points) currently sits in the final playoff spot in the East, tied in points with Toronto but holding the tiebreakers with one less game played and three more regulation/overtime wins. The Capitals are also just 1-2-1 in their last four games and 5-4-1 in January, falling 4-3 in overtime in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
That game also cost them Alex Ovechkin (20-19-39 in 47 games), who was suspended for three games on Monday for a hit to the head on Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek. That leaves Washington without its top two scorers, as Nicklas Backstrom (13-29-42 in 38 games) is out with a concussion. The Caps are also without top defenseman Mike Green (abdominal surgery), leaving former Bruin Dennis Wideman as the top scorer in their lineup with 8-25-33 totals in 47 games.
The Bruins (31-13-2, 64 points) could be without Nathan Horton as well. He is day-to-day with a mild concussion suffered on a hit from Flyers forward Tom Sestito Sunday in Philadelphia. The Bruins went on to beat the Flyers 6-5 in a shootout, putting Boston even in points with the Rangers atop the East, though New York has the tiebreaker with more regulation/overtime wins, including a 3-2 overtime victory Saturday in Boston.
Boston also remains without Andrew Ference, who will serve the second game of his three-game suspension for boarding Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Saturday.
The puck drops at 7 p.m., so check back here for updates on all the action.
