The shots on goal on Monday night were 42-17 Capitals, but the Boston Bruins scored the first five goals of the game and put 10 players on the scoresheet paving their way to an impressive 7-3 win over Washington at TD Garden in Boston.
Boston (22-7-9) opened up the onslaught of goals at 5:37 of the first, when Jake Debrusk poked home a rebound off a David Krejci shot from the right point through the legs of Washington goalie Brandon Holtby on the powerplay. Brad Marchand doubled the lead when he also put in a rebound in the slot at 13:29, this time off a David Pastrnak shot. It took the Bruins 27 seconds to make it 3-0 when Anders Bjork got a feed in the right faceoff circle and ripped it past Holtby at 13:56, ending the night for the netminder as he was replaced by Ilya Samsonov. Patrice Bergeron greeted the new goalie and capped off the huge period when Pastrnak centered one from the left circle and Bergy re-directed it into the net on the 5 on 3 powerplay at 18:57.
Charlie Coyle made it 5-0 shorthanded at 6:55 of the second, taking a chipped pass by Marchand and broke in alone to beat Samsonov. It was Coyles seventh goal of the season and 100th of his NHL career. Alex Ovechkin got the Capitals on the board when he found a loose puck in the high slot and scored on a wrist shot at 14:35. Washington (26-7-5) did cut it to 5-2 on a Lars Eller goal at 15:29 of the third, but Krejci ended any comeback thoughts as he tucked one into an empty net at 16:50. Garnet Hathaway got another one for the visitors at 17:37, but Bergeron got another empty netter at 19:32 for the final four goal bulge.
Tuuka Rask made 39 saves in the win for Boston. It is only the second win over the Capitals in the last 18 regular season matchups. Krejci had a goal and two assists, Bergeron had two goals, and Coyle and Marchand each had a goal and an assist. Pastrnak also added two assists. Six different skaters scored goals for the Bruins. Holtby made seven saves on 11 shots before being relieved in that first period. Samsonov stopped three of four shots in that relief role. Boston was 2-6 on the powerplay, while Washington was 0-5. The Bruins own the best home record in the league at 13-1-8, and the second best record in the NHL just four points behind the Capitals. Boston is at Buffalo Friday night at 7 to battle the Sabres.
