How Bruins, Capitals Made NHL History In Last Stanley Cup Playoffs Meeting

If the next Boston Bruins versus Washington Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs series is good as the last, hockey fans will be in for a treat.

A stat NHL Public Relations shared Wednesday morning shows the 2012 Bruins-Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series was one of the tightest postseason matchups in NHL history. Of all the best-of-seven playoff series that ran the full course of games over the years, only two had all seven games decided by one goal, and the 2012 Boston-Washington set was the first.

The Bruins lost that series 4-3, ending their quest to defend the Stanley Cup championship they won the previous season.

The Capitals also were involved in the NHL’s second, and most-recent, seven-game series in which each game was won by one goal. That took place in the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Capitals lost to the New York Rangers 4-3.

That 2012 Boston-Washington set was the fourth installment in their postseason rivalry.

They’ll author a fresh chapter in 2021 when they face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 will take place at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday at Capital One Arena.