The Boston Bruins had their three-game winning streak snapped as the Washington Capitals finished with a 5-3 win Thursday night at TD Garden.
The Bruins entered the game winners in nine of their previous 11 games and had been defensively sound during that stretch, but the Capitals took advantage of Boston’s miscues en route to victory.
Anton Khudobin suffered only his second regulation loss of the season and finished with 17 saves. Patrice Bergeron scored two goals for the Bruins.
Defenseman Kevan Miller returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game for the birth of his first child.
Earlier today, the Bruins placed forward Matt Beleskey on waivers. Ryan Spooner is activated from IR but did not play tonight.
Observations from the third period
- Bergeron scores his second goal of the game to cut Boston's deficit to two goals with 26.4 seconds remaining.
- From his own end, Alex Ovechkin banked one off the boards in the neutral zone for an empty-net goal. It's his 22nd goal of the season.
- David Krejci cuts Boston's deficit to two with his fifth goal of the season.
- Alex Chiasson with a shorthanded goal to give the Capitals a 4-1 lead. Back-to-back games having an impact against the Bruins.
- Brad Marchand is spending the majority of this TV timeout chirping at the Capitals bench.
- Brandon Carlo is having a tough night.
- Noel Acciari is a master at the little things.
- Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom scores a power-play goal for a 2-1 lead. Carlo missed his assignment as Backstrom is left all alone in front.
- Bergeron scores a power-play goal to tie the game at 1-1. He passes Bobby Orr with 265 goals as a Bruin.
- Another bad turnover by Carlo.
- Krejci appears to be a step behind tonight.
- The Bruins are 0-6-1 this season when trailing after the first period.
- Jakub Vrana just walked around Matt Grzelcyk to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead.
- That's an elite save by Khudobin against an elite power-play threat with Nicklas Backstrom.
- Grzelcyk's ability to pick a puck off the boards at a high rate of speed and then make a play is pretty high. Creates a quality scoring chance but Patrice Bergeron couldn't control it in front.
- Jake DeBrusk with a good stick that forces a turnover and creates a quality scoring chance.
- Bruins 2-for-2 on the PK.
- Another example of how good Bergeron is at getting an offensive-zone faceoff when the team needs it.
- The Bruins are 17-for-49 on the penalty kill this season, which is 14th in the NHL. Unfortunately, their best penalty killer is in the box.
- Tom Wilson chirping at the Bruins' bench.
- I believe the Capitals were offside on that and the goal should be overturned. Yup, no goal.
- I've been critical of Anders Bjork the last couple of games, but that was a good block right there from the rookie forward. Still wanna see him shoot more at the other end.
- Two costly turnovers by the Bruins' defense already.
- That might have been the worst minute in hockey history.
- David Pastrnak enters the game with a nine-game point streak. He has five goals and six assists for 11 points in that span.