The Boston Bruins welcome the Washington Capitals for the first time this season. This will be one of the biggest tests of the season for the Bruins.
The Capitals, like the Bruins, find themselves at the top of the standings once again. Washington leads the Metropolitan Division and shows no signs of slowing down.
Believe it or not, defenseman John Carlson leads the way offensively for the Caps. He already has 30 points, which leads all NHL defensemen. Alex Ovechkin, as you can imagine, isn’t far behind.
Braden Holtby continues to be Washington’s workhorse in goal. He has nine wins in 14 starts this season.
The Bruins will have to solve the likes of Carlson, Ovechkin, and Holtby to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself on Saturday night.
Washington owns Boston like no other team. The Capitals are 28-12-0 against the Bruins since 2010. This includes 15 wins in only 20 tries in Boston.
Not included in this head-to-head record is the 2012 first-round playoff matchup. Washington won the series in seven games even without home-ice advantage.
Why does Boston struggle so much with Washington? The Bruins have a really difficult time with Ovechkin and Holtby.
Ovechkin pretty much dominates all opponents, but he saves his best for Boston. He has 24 goals and 49 total points in 48 games against the Bruins. Four of his goals were game winners.
Then there’s Holtby, who the Bruins for whatever reason cannot solve. Holtby is a remarkable 16-3-0 versus Boston. His save percentage is .946, and his goals-against average is 1.80. To put that into perspective, here are Holtby’s career averages: .918, 2.49.
Like Ovechkin, Holtby plays his best against Boston. Unfortunately for the Bruins forwards, he looks set to make the start on Saturday night.
If the Bruins want to rewrite history and beat the Capitals, they’ll need to have answers for both Ovechkin and Holtby.
To stop Ovechkin, look for Boston to rely on its two dependables: Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Chara continues to lead Boston’s shutdown pairing at age 42, so he’ll see a lot of Ovechkin. Chara has the size, strength, and reach to make Ovechkin’s life dfficult.
Bergeron will also play a major role against Ovechkin. Not only is Bergeron the best defensive forward in the league, he also plays on the league’s best line. If Bergeron and his linemates can keep possession in the offensive zone, they’ll significantly limit Ovechkin’s presence.
How can the Bruins beat Holtby? They need to think about quality over quantity. The forwards can’t simply throw pucks on goal. Holtby will save all those low-danger perimeter shots. They need to work hard to generate great chances, even if it means turning down a shot to make an extra pass.
All this is easier said than done. The Bruins have gone through great lengths to thwart Ovechkin and Holtby in the past, but they have yet to have much success.
Nonetheless, for the Bruins to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself, top players like Chara and Bergeron need to win the matchups against Ovechkin and Holtby. If they do, the Bruins may be able to escape with a win.