(Getty Images)
FINAL: Capitals 2, Bruins 0 - Boston manages just 16 shots against urgent Washington
WHO: Bruins (109 points) at Washington Capitals (87 points)
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC.
TV: NESN, NHL Network
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
ROSTERS
PROJECTED LINES
Boston
Danton Heinen–Pavel Zacha–David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand–Charlie Coyle–Jake DeBrusk
Jakub Lauko–Morgan Geekie–Trent Frederic
Pat Maroon–Jesper Boqvist–Johnny Beecher
Hampus Lindholm–Charlie McAvoy
Parker Wotherspoon–Brandon Carlo
Kevin Shattenkirk–Andrew Peeke
Swayman
Capitals
Alex Ovechkin–Connor McMichael–T.J. Oshie
Aliaksei Protas–Dylan Strome–Tom Wilson
Max Pacioretty–Hendrix Lapierre–Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn–Nic Dowd–Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary–John Carlson
Trevor van Riemsdyk–Vincent Iorio
Alexander Alexeyev–Dylan McIlrath
Charlie Lindgren
PREGAME NOTES
- Capitals need this one, big time: Per the AP - The Washington Capitals’ path to a Stanley Cup Playoff berth in their final two regular-season games is simple but not without challenges. If Washington (38-31-11) wins at home against the Boston Bruins on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NHLN, NESN) and at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, it will qualify for the playoffs, regardless of what the teams they are battling do.
The Capitals are tied with the Detroit Red Wings and Flyers for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. But Philadelphia has played one more game, and Washington owns the tiebreaker over Detroit (30 regulation wins versus 27), so it controls its postseason destiny if it wins its remaining games.
- The Boston Bruins can clinch their second-straight Atlantic Division title and their third in the last five seasons with a win tonight.
If the Bruins win, they get the Lightning. If they lose out, they get the Leafs.
- The Bruins are changing up the power play after more frustration against the Penguins.
Kevin Shattenkirk, who scored Saturday in Pittsburgh, was skating on the first power play at morning skate Monday, taking Charlie McAvoy’s spot. Danton Heinen and Pat Maroon should see time on the top unit as well with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk and McAvoy, meanwhile, get bumped to the second unit.
“We need more pace and purpose to our power play, and we’re not getting that kind of urgency that we think we need,” Montgomery told reporters. “As we build toward the playoffs, we’re hoping this will help. Like we do 5-on-5, we play with a lot of pace and purpose, and we need that with our power play, offensively.”