BOSTON – In a fitting way to end the first of two games in Boston the Washington Capitals evened the series on Nicklas Backstrom’s wrist shot with 2:56 expired in the second overtime.
The series has been tightly played with each team scoring only twice over the first two contests. Boston won the first game 1-0 before seeing the Capitals claim Game 2 by a 2-1 count.
The two clubs battled scoreless through regulation in the first game and it appeared the second game might turn out the same until Washington went up late in the second frame. Washington’s first goal of the playoff season came when Alexander Ovechkin through the puck towards the Boston crease and Troy Brouwer swept the puck under Boston netminder Tim Thomas and instant before Thomas could freeze the puck.
It would take the Bruins over 14 minutes before they would muster the goal to send the game into overtime. The game-tying tally came due to the efforts of Benoit Pouliet. Pouliet took a feed from Game 1 star Chris Kelly and tried to put the puck on Washington goaltender Braden Holtby, but Washington defender Jeff Schultz blocked the shot. Pouliet followed the carom and raced Holtby to the puck knocking it past the netminder before bowling over Holtby.
The teams battled through the first overtime and the end came early in the second frame. The game-winning play started innocently enough. Patrice Bergeron defeated Backstrom on a face-off put the puck bounced over the stick of Boston defenseman Johnny Boychuk and Washington’s Marcus Johansson beat everyone to the puck. Johansson quickly fed it to Backstrom who defeated Thomas five-hole.
Game 3 of the series is set for Monday night in Washington.
Contact Tom.Schettino@prohockeynews.com
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