This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins game on February 11, 2023.
The Washington Capitals are back after a 10-day break where the most significant on-ice news that happened while they were gone was that Ovi Jr. won the Breakaway Challenge. The Capitals also re-upped Dylan Strome and Sonny Milano to longterm contracts.
With that big layoff and only two days of practice in the books, the Capitals will try to upset the Boston Bruins who are the best team in the league. The Bruins have only lost 7 of 51 games in regulation this season and have seven more standings points than the next-best team in the league, Carolina. The Bruins are also coming off their own 9-day break from action.
Today’s game is on ESPN+ and puck drop is shortly after 3:30 pm. This one could be ugly early.
Lines
Lineys!#CapsBruins | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/qj64lYXYVx
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 11, 2023
The return of the B's. pic.twitter.com/zRuRqOz2e0
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 11, 2023
Tunnel Shenanigans
OOOOO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/5wHtl00biO
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 11, 2023
1st Period
Ovechkin-Strome-NAK and Orlov Jensen get the start. Darcy Kuemper is opposing Jeremy Swayman in net. The Bruins are wearing their Meth Bear Winter Classic jerseys.
Erik Gustafsson takes the game’s first penalty, at the 4:04 mark, for tripping David Pastrnak.
Evgeny Kuznetsov and Brad Marchand to the box for matching minors after some extracurriculars. Marchand got a bunch of extra whacks on Darcy Kuemper as he tried to find a loose puck.
The Bruins power play ends early after Charlie Coyle hooks Lars Eller after a faceoff. The Capitals will end up with a shortened power play after four-on-four play ends.
Another Bruins penalty! Defenseman Hampus Lindholm shoots a hockey stick at a loose puck and gets whistled for an interference penalty. The Capitals will get an extended power play here.
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Nicklas Backstrom scores on a rebound in front of the net. The Capitals still have a 1:17 minute five-on-four power play.
Conor Sheary and TJ Oshie collide into each other in the defensive zone. Oshie was down on the ice for a bit. He skated off on his own power and returned to bench.
#ALLCAPS Sheary and Oshie collide, Oshie shaken up, doesnt go down the tunnel though pic.twitter.com/6VJ5yywsRx
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) February 11, 2023
Martin Fehervary hits Brad Marchand with a hip check near the team’s two benches. Marchand was furious than there wasn’t an interference call. Alex Ovechkin cross-checked him back towards the Bruins door.
Erik Gustafsson is grimacing after losing his balance while battling with Taylor Hall and slamming hard into the end boards.
The Capitals outshot the Bruins 9-7 and out-attempted them 16-15 at 5v5. The Capitals also have the expected goals edge, 1.31 to 0.95.
Per ESPN, the Bruins have 14 wins after trailing after the first period, second-most in the NHL.
2nd Period
Some early pressure from the Bruins. They’ve been dominating the period.
🚨 2-0 Capitals. Garnet Hathaway rips off a clear, skates in, and beats Swayman off the crossbar and in. The goal came at the 11:40 mark.
🚨 2-1 Capitals. Nick Foligno takes a twister pass and chunks the puck past Darcy Kuemper from the goal line. The goal came at the 16:34 mark. This felt inevitable. The Bruins have been good start to finish.
The Bruins outshot the Capitals 11-4 in the period to take the overal shot on goal lead, 18-13. The Bruins now lead in 5v5 shot attempts 28-27. The Bruins have the expected goals edge 2.27 to 1.71.
3rd Period
Hampus Lindholm punches NAK in the face after a whistle. The Caps PP ends 12 seconds later after Alex Ovechkin commits an interference penalty on Brandon Carlo on a shorthanded chance.
Dmitry Orlov takes a tripping penalty. The Bruins’ 25 percent power play is 0 for 2 so far today. This is a big man advantage for them.
The Bruins can’t score. Dmitry Orlov gets a breakaway at the end of the power play. He winds up and tries a slap shot five-hole but Swayman closes the pads.
Brad Marchand and Alex Ovechkin both go to the box. Marchand appeared to slew foot Alex Ovechkin as Ovi chipped the puck into the zone near the two benches. Ovi’s follow through clipped Marchand in the face. Usually follow throughs are not called for high sticks. Weird.
Dmitry Orlov with another wide open chance but Swayman gloves his shot.
Oshie pawing at his left eye after getting high-sticked on a two-on-one break with Ovechkin.
Bruins empty net.
Kuznetsov hits the goal post on a shot at the empty net.
Martin Fehervary takes a boarding penalty with 25.5 seconds left. He crushed Taylor Hall into the boards numbers-first.
Kuznetsov (2) and Eller (1) win three consecutive faceoffs against Patrice Bergeron, the second best FO man in the league.
The Capitals give Boston its eighth regulation loss of the season and only their second at home. Wow.
The Bruins outshot the Capitals 28-23 but the Capitals out-attempted the Bruins at 5v5, 44-42. The Capitals ended the game with the expected goals edge, 3.61 to 3.31.
Comment below. Refresh this article throughout the night as we’ll be updating it live.
