A little less than 12 hours before the New Year, the Washington Capitals will take on the Boston Bruins in a rematch from 8 days ago where they lost 4-1.
Ivan Miroshnichenko will sub in for Jakub Vrana as Spencer Carbery hasn’t “liked V’s last two games.” Logan Thompson will oppose Jeremy Swayman in net.
The Capitals-Bruins game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and a returning Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 12:30 pm.
Washington will be wearing their black Screaming Eagle jerseys, which Ovi is a god in scoring in all 8 games.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 1-0 Boston Bruins. BOS Goal: Justin Brazeau (9). Assists: P. Wotherspoon (1). Time: 01:21.
After a fortunate bounce off the Zamboni door, the puck bounces right to Brazeau in front of the net for a layup. [shakes fist at hockey gods]
🚨 1-1 tie. WSH Goal: Aliaksei Protas (15). Assists: P. Dubois (23), T. Wilson (12). Time: 12:05.
“What a play,” Protas says visibly after Dubois finds him wide open in the slot.
🚨 2-1 Washington Capitals. WSH PPG: Jakob Chychrun (11). Assists: D. Strome (29), J. Carlson (21). Time: 17:11.
Jakob Chychrun has his 11th goal of the season, tied for the most among all NHL rearguards, after unleashing a huge shot from the right circle on the power play.
Tom Wilson deflects a John Carlson shot off the post with about a minute remaining.
Charlie Coyle and Connor McMichael get in a sword fight with their sticks and they’re both to the box for slashing at 19:47. We go four-on-four.
At intermission: The Capitals are outshooting the Bruins 11 to 10.
2nd Period
Puck is droped.
Matt Roy to the box for interfering Elias Lindholm at 7:36.
Jakob Chychrun to the box (tripping) after Brad Marchand dives at 15:11. I’m not the Department of Player Safety, but he should be fined for that one.
At intermission: The Capitals are still up 2-1 and outshooting the Bruins 19 to 16.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Tom Wilson high-sticks Martin Fehervary accidentally and the Slovakian defenseman is down in a heap. Fehervary’s holding a towel to his right cheek and is down the tunnel with 14:13 to go in the third period.
Nikita Zadorov to the box at 8:40. Capitals going back to the power play to look for an insurance goal. Is it Ovi time? He’s scored in every game the Capitals have worn the black Screaming Eagle jersey.
Chychrun hit by McAvoy after a big open-ice hit during the Capitals power play. Tom Wilson was crunched behind the play (it should have been an interference call) at the same time.
The two teams break out into a fracas at the next stoppage with Andrew Mangiapane throwing punches at Brandon Carlo. McMichael, Mangiapane, Carlo, and Coyle to the box.
Swayman pulled with around 1:57 remaining for an extra attacker.
Capitals call timeout with 16.1 remaining.
🚨 3-1 Washington Capitals. WSH ENG: Aliaksei Protas (16). Assists: T. Wilson (13). Time: 19:51.
Protas seals it with 9 seconds remaining.
Capitals win 3-1. Great victory for the Caps – their 25th of the season. They can play a lot of different ways and still get the job done. Overall though, ugly ugly game to watch as a fan. Alan May called it a “tractor pull” on the postgame show.
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