The Washington Capitals played a taut and tense game against the Boston Bruins on Monday night. Trading goals early before the goalies zeroed in, Washington’s depth showed up big, but the team squandered the lead and let Boston win in yet another overtime decision.
The Bruins struck first as Jake DeBrusk exploited a goof-up by Dillon and Anderson. TJ Oshie got a touch on an Ovi shot to tie the score 90 seconds later. Boston’s top line finally got on the board off Bergeron’s stick, but Hathaway tipped Oshie’s shot to keep the game tied after twenty minutes.
After a scoreless second period, Garnet Hathaway scored his second of the game, a rush goal set up by Orlov, to give the Caps a lead that last until the final two minutes of regulation, when Taylor Hall whacked the puck past Anderson.
Marchand won it a minute into overtime.
Caps lose. The series is tied 1-1.
- This seems impossible, but now the last ELEVEN Caps-Bruins playoff games have gone to overtime.
- The Caps have been beating Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask due to some good deflections lately. I know this acutely because every time I think I know who scored a goal, it turns out some other guy furtively caressed the puck on its journey to the twine. Anyway, good.
- Lars Eller left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. The Caps called him “doubtful” to return, which — I looked — and we hadn’t heard them use that word in four years. This isn’t really relevant to the game at all though.
- Also irrelevant to the game: Ilya Samsonov and Evgeny Kuznetsov, who watched from the stands because they’re too bad ass not to break protocol.
- With Eller and Kuznetsov out and Oshie being only an ersatz center, the Caps played half this game with two centers.
- Interlude for a GIF that sparks joy:
Nothing fazes this man 😂 pic.twitter.com/ornMSiC19e
— Becca (@BeccaH_JR) May 18, 2021
- The officials tried to keep this game even in the second period, giving a couple matching minors where perhaps one penalty would have sufficed. That made wary for the third period, but then the Caps drew two legit penalties in a row, scoring shortly after the second. So I think, in the end, the officials… were good? Good for the Caps at least?
- Anthony Mantha has been snakebit lately (seven shots), but he’s making up for it by getting physical. I didn’t expect much of that when he came to Washington, but it’s been pleasantly unpleasant.
“I’m so hungry I could eat at Arby’s.” pic.twitter.com/Tj3uPEPLAB
— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) May 18, 2021
- Shoutout to grandpa up there next to the Arby’s ad. Craig Anderson had an iffy start to this game, and then he settled in and played marvelously. His birthday’s on Friday. As a present, we’re giving him the net for as long as he can keep it.
- Dmitry Orlov got the primary assist on both of Garnet Hathaway’s goals.
- With a lead and ten minutes remaining, the Capitals fell into the same-old of the prevent defense. It cost them when all the Bruins crashed Anderson’s crease.
#JoeBSuitOfTheNight #CapsBruins Game 2. Raspberry. Such a good look @JoeBpXp. We’re all @Laughlin18 in this screenshot. pic.twitter.com/ghuJZZepsw
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) May 17, 2021
Last postseason the Caps got precious little from the bottom six. In 2021, it’s the depth leading the way. Nic Dowd got the OTGWG in Game One, and the star of Game Two — without a doubt — was Garnet Hathaway. Those two have been fun to watch. Even when they’re doing thankless work, they do it with aplomb. To see them score these epic goals in pivotal moments has been a delight — a gratifying reward for all that grinding.
To see those big moments ruined by turtling — miserable.
Anyway, thanks to the great Jashvina Shah for the headline. Her book comes out in October.
Now off to Boston for two on the road. Considering all their disadvantages, the Caps have played darn well, but now they go on unfriendly ice.
Screenshot courtesy of NBC Sports Washington
