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5 Bruins Takeaways From a Game 4 Victory

May 21, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Brad Marchand (63) reacts on a goal by right wing David Pastrnak (88) during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
May 21, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Brad Marchand (63) reacts on a goal by right wing David Pastrnak (88) during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

It was as about as good of an effort from the Boston Bruins Friday night at the TD Garden to put the Washington Capitals in a 3-1 series hole.

Four goals from four different players, with three coming on the power play, but it was the effort in the defensive end that stuck out in the Bruins 4-1 victory, their third straight win in the series after losing Game 1 May 15 in overtime.

With the Black and Gold heading back to Capital One Arena for Sunday night’s Game 5 today, let’s take a look back at a dominating Game 4 victory with some takeaways.

Bruins takeaways

  • In Game 4, Boston took seven minor penalties, which is flirting with danger against Washington, but they only allowed one goal, which was deflected into the Bruins net by defensemen Brandon Carlo. In the other changes, the Bruins got big contributions from many different players, including Connor Clifton who sacrificed his body multiple times to block shots by Caps star Alex Ovechkin.
  • Kevan Miller took a high hit from Capitals defensemen, Dimitri Orlov, who was originally assessed a major penalty. Following a review, it was downgraded to a minor. Miller had to be helped off the ice and was taken to local Boston hospital for tests. Here’s hoping he is going to be OK.
  • Tuukka Rask made 19 saves and did not leave a lot of rebounds. The veteran netminder was seeing the puck well, and the only puck to get by him went off of his own defensemen in the third period.
  • What a night for defensemen Charlie McAvoy. The 23-year-old finished with three assists, on all three Boston power play goals, and finished with a team-high 26:18 of time on ice on 30 shifts. He was also the Black and Gold’s leader with 8:49 of time on ice shorthanded.
  • The Bruins continue to frustrate Ovechkin, who was credited with the Caps goal. In the series, he has two goals, two assists with 16 shots on the net with a plus/minus of minus-2. He drilled Brad Marchand early in the third period with a hit in the defensive end, but Marchy returned the favor later in the period. After David Pastrnak knocked down the Washington captain from behind, Marchand finished him off with a hit as he was getting up.

As Boston heads down to the Nations Capital for Game 5 Sunday night at 7 p.m., they look to close out the first-round series, but should also expect the Capitals best as their season hangs in the balance.

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