After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, it perhaps seemed like the Capitals would coast to a win over the Bruins. Unfortunately, no one told the Bruins that, and they clawed their way back into the game with a lopsided second that evened things up at two apiece.
The rest of the game was a tightly contested, back-and-forth affair that the Caps ended up escaping with a game-winning goal that was, fittingly, the product of a weird bounce.
That one, not so pretty – so let’s look at the goal that should have been the game-winner (damn you for being so good, David Pastrnak), the result of a very good shift by Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, and Ryan Leonard.
Leonard gets the whole play started, using his speed to get up ice and collect an outlet pass by Strome. The puck gets away from him and ends up in the corner, but Leonard stays with it, gets a step on the Bruins defender to gather up the puck again, and takes a hit behind the net to make the play back out to Strome. From there, the Caps are able to set up their cycle game.
All five guys on the ice – including the new kid (who already has no fear of going right to the front of the net and doing battle) – are involved, keeping things moving until a Protas shot off the boards behind the net takes a carom to the side, where Strome is waiting to cash in on the rebound.
A goal that is equal parts skill and hard work – with a dash of good luck – puts the Caps on top, 3-2, and there they would stay. Tom Wilson’s shot off of Boston blueliner Mason Lohrei extends the lead to two, the Caps hold off a late Bruins rally, and the win streak comes to an end.
No rest for the weary, though. The Caps are back at it again tonight as they visit the Hurricanes in Raleigh in a clash of the Metro’s best.