Final: Bruins 4, Capitals 2 - Swayman, Marchand hold off Caps

The Bruins will continue a pivotal week with a road matchup against the Capitals on Thursday night. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Follow along for updates from Thursday's game. 

WHO: Bruins (20-10-6) vs. Capitals (25-10-4)

WHEN: 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Capital One Arena 

TV: NESN

RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE: NHL.com

LIVE COVERAGE:



https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380335512792268801

Smith makes it a 4-2 game. Huge goal, to say the least.

Kuraly draws a hook. Bruins to the power play.

Pastrnak can't beat Samsonov.

Can't be taking that bait if you're Marchand.

Nice passing sequence from Clifton to Coyle. Samsonov gets a piece of it, however.

Third period is a go.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380321406467051525

Big hit from Wagner.

Real ugly power play.

Bruins go to the power play.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380319089143513093

They're really going to blow the whistle there?

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380317013697048585

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380316433402503172

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380316097606483968

Big power play coming up for Washington.

Blidh off for four minutes.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380313358856028161

My word, Marchand.

Bruins back to the PK.

Good glove stop by Swayman.

Bruins kill the penalty.

Puck dropped in the second.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380306541195108356

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380306015900422149

Back to 5v5 play.

Bruins heading to the PK. Coyle heads off.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380303836988907521

2-0 Bruins.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380303158375669762

No dice, again.

Bruins to the power play. Bergeron cross-checked.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380302357586583556

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380300931624017920

Nice play by Ritchie — but Samsonov is there for the stop.

No dice on the power play.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380298111860490247

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380297951831060487

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380297598490267649

1-0 Bruins. Lauzon.

Puck is dropped.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380296058568331266

Frederic out tonight. He's under the weather - albeit not COVID-related.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1380292761811816448

LINEUPS 

BOSTON

Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Craig Smith
Nick Ritchie — David Krejci — David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk — Charlie Coyle — Karson Kuhlman
Trent Frederic/Anton Blidh — Sean Kuraly — Chris Wagner

Matt Grzelcyk — Kevan Miller
Jeremy Lauzon — Connor Clifton
Jakub Zboril — Steven Kampfer

Jeremy Swayman
Dan Vladar

Scratched: Anders Bjork, Jarred Tinordi, Zach Senyshyn
Injured: Brandon Carlo (upper body), Tuukka Rask (upper body), Ondrej Kase (upper body), Charlie McAvoy (upper body)
COVID-19 protocol: Jaroslav Halak

WASHINGTON

Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- T.J. Oshie
Conor Sheary -- Nicklas Backstrom -- Tom Wilson
Jakub Vrana -- Lars Eller -- Daniel Carr
Carl Hagelin -- Nic Dowd -- Garnet Hathaway

Brenden Dillon -- John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov -- Justin Schultz
Zdeno Chara -- Nick Jensen

Ilya Samsonov
Vitek Vanecek

Scratched: Jonas Siegenthaler, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Daniel Sprong
Injured: None

PREGAME NOTES

With Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak still out, the Bruins will turn to Jeremy Swayman in net once again on Thursday night. Swayman made his NHL debut on Tuesday in Philly and was spectacular — stopping 40 of the 42 shots that came his way in the victory.

Once again, the Bruins will be without their leader on the blue line in Charlie McAvoy, who is still sidelined with an upper-body injury. Bruce Cassidy said that McAvoy is back in Boston, and likely won't return in time for Saturday's matinee against the Flyers.

Trent Frederic is questionable for tonight's game due to illness, albeit not COVID-related. Tuukka Rask skated on Thursday morning and remains in a "day-to-day" situation with an upper-body injury.

The Bruins are 2-0-2 vs. the Capitals in this season's series so far with a 4-3 OT loss in Washington on Jan. 30, a 5-3 road win on Feb. 1, a 2-1 shootout setback in Boston on March 3 and 5-1 home win on March 5. Boston is 4-1-3 in their last eight games vs. Washington following an 0-11-3 stretch in their previous 14 games from Oct. 11, 2014 to Jan. 10, 2019.