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Swayman & Marchand Lead Bruins Over Capitals

By Scott Roche |
Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and Boston Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton (75) battle for the puck in the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) and Boston Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton (75) battle for the puck in the second period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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For the second time in just the last 23 games, the Boston Bruins have won back-to-back games.

Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the Bruins bounced back from dropping a 3-2 overtime decision at home to the Philadelphia Flyers with a 4-2 victory. Fourth-eight hours later, the Black and Gold collected their second win on their three-game road trip by beating the Washington Capitals, 4-2, for their 21st victory of the season.

For the fourth consecutive game, Boston collected points in the East Division standings and for the third time in four games, they left the arena with two points.

For the second straight game, Boston also gained points in the standings on the two teams that are chasing them. The Flyers lost in a shootout, 3-2, to the New York Islanders, while the New York Rangers fell seven points behind the Bruins for the fourth and final playoff berth after losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, at Madison Square Garden.

Boston played the game without the services of defensemen Charlie McAvoy for the second consecutive game. Earlier Thursday, coach Bruce Cassidy said his young blueliner was back in Boston, but feeling better. He will miss the final game of the road trip back in Philadelphia Saturday afternoon.

Getting wins and piling up the points without McAvoy is key for the Bruins. Boston currently has two games in hand on the Flyers and Rangers. Six points behind the Penguins for third place, Boston has three games in hand on them. Of the 19 remaining games for the Bruins, six are against the Buffalo Sabres.

This recent run of success is also happening right before the trade deadline, which is 3 o’clock Monday afternoon. Time for some big decision to be made by general manger Don Sweeney.

Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Bruins center Craig Smith (12) scores a goal on Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Bruins center Craig Smith (12) scores a goal on Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Takeaways

  • Jeremy Swayman, what else is there to say? Another impressive performance for the rookie with 31 saves, including some tough ones that kept the Bruins ahead for the whole game. Two games, two wins, and the 22-year-old looks calm, cool, and collective between the pipes.
  • Pucks to the net. That’s a pretty common theme taught in youth hockey. It worked for the Bruins early against the Caps. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon’s shot from the point 33 seconds into the game found its way through Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov and trickled past the goalie line for an early B’s lead.
  • Trent Frederic did not play because of a non-COVID-19 sickness. Anton Blidh took his spot in the lineup and scored the second Boston goal of the opening period. The puck took a weird bounce off of the boards behind the Caps net, went to Blidh, who stuffed the puck into the net behind a stunned Samsonov.
  • Brad Marchand collected his 30th career shorthanded goal in the second period and it was a thing of beauty. He broke into the Caps zone, held onto the puck as a defenseman went by him and he was able to get Samsonov out of position before scoring on a backhander for a 3-0 lead.
  • The Bruins remained unbeaten this year, 12-0-2, when they have a two-goal at any point in a game.
Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) makes a save on Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) makes a save on Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

More Takeaways

  • Washington scored both their goals 19 seconds apart in the second period on not one, but two 5-on-3 power plays. Blidh was called for tripping, then picked up a roughing penalty after the whistle to give the Caps a four-minute power play. Near the end of the first power play, Jakub Zboril was called for interference. Alex Ovechkin scored four seconds into the first 5-on-3, then T.J. Oshie scored on the second 5-on-3.
  • Despite the two Washington power play goals, the Bruins PK showed why they were are the top-ranked unit in the league. They fought their way through six consecutive penalties between the first and second periods to maintain their lead. With the talent the Caps can put out on the power play, things could have been a whole lot worse.
  • Despite a power play goal from Craig Smith with 3:05 left in the game for a two-goal lead, the Bruins PP was pretty much ineffective all night. Not a lot of shots on Samsonov, who appeared to be fighting the puck all night and not a lot of good zone entries. The PP units have seen better nights.
  • Speaking of Smith, he picked up his third goal in his 10 games to go along with seven assists. Averaging a point a game in the last 10, he has adjusted well to the first line with Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.

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Overall, it was a solid 60 minutes of hockey from the Black and Gold, especially their rookie goalie to gain ground in the playoff race in the East Division.

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