BSJ Game Report: Bruins 5, Capitals 2 - Boston hits another high-water mark in complete effort

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-2 win over the Capitals, with BSJ insight and analysis…

BOX SCORE 

HEADLINES

Boston sets single-season points record: The Bruins set the NHL single-season points record with their 133rd point in their record-extending 64th win in a 5-2 showing against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists for Boston (64-12-5), and Tomas Nosek (1g, 1a) and David Pastrnak (2a) each had two points. Linus Ulmark made 19 saves before exiting the game for precautionary reasons. Jeremy Swayman stopped all six shots he faced in relief. 

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Ullmark will be fine: “Just some muscle-tightening.”

Nick Jensen and Tom Wilson each scored for Washington (35-37-9). Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves before leaving with an injury in the third period. Darcy Kuemper stopped six of seven shots in relief. 

Marchand opened the scoring on the power play 8:32 into the second. Bergeron hit Pastrnak with a no-look feed, and No. 88 danced through the Caps to feed Marchand for the one-timer. The goal snapped a 16-game goal and seven-game point drought.

Bertuzzi cleaned up a rebound in front of the crease off a shot from the point on the power play about six minutes later after Bergeron recovered a loose puck from a battle in the high slot. 

Washington got one back to cut it to 2-1 just 1:07 later when Jensen’s wrister tumbled in after hitting Charlie McAvoy’s leg. 

Nosek made it 3-1 early in the third before Wilson cut it to 3-2, but Nosek sent a fluttering saucer pass to Garnet Hathaway on a rush, as the former Cap finished it to make it 4-2.

Jake DeBrusk scored on the empty net with 1:50 to go for the 5-2 final. 

FIVE UP

The power play: Boston’s top man-up unit looked confident tonight. The puck movement was sharper, and constant motion of the five-man group kept Washington scrambling and opened up lanes. Pastrnak swung around the net before the lane to Marchand opened up, and Bertuzzi’s goal was all about puck-retrieval and getting a shot through. Back to basics.

Taylor Hall: No. 71 seemed to have his legs under him tonight. Hall’s speed was noticeable early on, and he was hard to contain off the rush. Scoring chances were 10-7 at 5-on-5 with Hall on the ice (2-1 high-danger), per Natural Stat Trick. Drew a cross-check on Matt Irwin to give the B’s their first power play, leading to Marchand’s goal as well. Started to trail off later in the game, but to be expected as he continues to regain his form. 

The top-six: The top-two lines were flat-out dominant at 5-on-5. DeBrusk, Bergeron and Marchand each had a ludicrous individual Corsi-for of at least 78 percent, and Zacha, Bertuzzi and Pastrnak were each in the mid-60s. The top-two lines combined to out-chance Washington 21-13 at even-strength (7-2 high-danger). 

Tomas Nosek: The fourth line came up big in the third period, especially Nosek. who was opportunistic coming off the bench to capitalize on a pass to the slot for the eventual game-winner and his 100th career point. He picked up his 101st with a slick saucer pass to Hathaway for the 4-2 insurance goal. The extra offensive pop from his unit came without a single 5-on-5 shift beginning in the offensive zone.

Charlie Lindgren: The St. Cloud State product gave everything he had for the Capitals, who were on the second leg of a back-to-back. Lindgren made 33 saves (11 in the third), including all nine high-danger chances he faced, before going down with injury in the third (off another crazy save). He had a mind-boggling sequence early in the third, stopping three quick Bruins shots, including a Zacha rebound look after losing his catcher. 

ONE DOWN

Linus Ullmark’s health: Montgomery said it was all out of precaution, but it’s hard to at least not be a little concerned about Ullmark with the playoffs less than a week away. 

PLAYS OF THE GAME

Perfectly executed 2-on-1, complete with a sweet saucer pass, between Nosek and Hathaway for a big insurance goal in the third.

Garnet Hathaway finishes a gorgeous Tomas Nosek saucer pass to make it 4-2 on his old team. pic.twitter.com/0y8G1msQsZ

— Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12) April 12, 2023

LOOSE PUCKS

Zacha took home the 7th Player Award for 2023. He set career-highs in every category with 21 goals, 36 assists and 57 points.

Jeff Marek has joked about John Carlson receiving Norris votes on the “32 Thoughts” podcast. Half-joking or not, it’s not a horrible premise. Washington is 20-15-3 with him in the lineup this year, and just 15-21-6 without him. Have to imagine things would have been better, if only marginally, if he were healthy this season. 

What do we think this is for in Ullmark's stall?

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will close out the regular season against the Canadiens in Montreal on Thursday. Puck-drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Bell Centre.