Final: Bruins 3, Capitals 2 (F/SO) - McAvoy scores two goals, Swayman saves nine shots in shootout

The Boston Bruins win their third game of the season against the Washington Capitals with a 3-2 shootout victory in D.C.

With the Eastern Conference playoff race tightening, this game was treated as a "game seven" by both teams, and the Bruins found a way to pick up the extra point in the victory with big contributions from Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy.

The first period of the game was a defensive battle, as both teams failed to record over 10 shots on goal through the first 20 minutes.

The scoreless game changed two minutes into the second period. Washington made its way into Boston's zone, and Matt Roy fired an open shot from the point to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead.

After a failed chance on the power play, the Bruins responded midway through the period. In Washington's offensive zone, a dropped pass from David Pastrnak resulted in a shot opportunity by McAvoy from the point, who fluttered a 54 MPH shot through traffic to tie the game.

In the third period, the Capitals once again took an early lead with shot from the point. After a face-off win in Boston's zone, Rasmus Sandin fired a slap shot through traffic to give Washington a 2-1 lead.

And just like in the second period, Boston responded at the middle point of the period with a goal by McAvoy, who tipped a shot from Pavel Zacha in front of the net. 

The final five minutes of regulation was intense hockey on both sides. Nikita Zadorov and Hampus Lindholm received consecutive minor penalties giving Washington two chances to regain the lead on the power play. The Bruins were able to kill both penalties, and they landed on the power play with 1:15 remaining. 

Boston failed to score another goal in the third period, and the power play extended into overtime. Washington successfully killed the remaining seconds of its penalty, and entirety of overtime consisted of 4-on-4 hockey with no whistles blowing. The game then carried over into a shootout.

Jeremy Swayman and Logan Thompson battled each other for nine rounds in the shootout, with both goalies stopping eight consecutive saves. In the ninth round, Swayman stopped a shot from Aliaksei Protas. Frasier Minten was the ninth choice for the Bruins, and he backhanded a deke around Thompson to give the Bruins the additional point in the contest.

Boston struggled offensively in this game, but strong defense and goaltending helped them stay within the game. Despite going 0-4 on the power play, the Bruins killed all three power play attempted by Washington and spent less time in the penalty box. Swayman stopped 25-27 shots including nine shots in the shootout.

On Monday, the Bruins will travel to New Jersey to take on the Devils. Puck drop will be at 7 p.m.

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WHO: Bruins (36-23-6) at Capitals (33-27-7)
WHEN: 3 p.m.
WHERE: Verizon Center, Washington D.C.
TV: ABC
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Geekie - Minten - Pastrnak

Mittelstadt - Zacha - Arvidsson

Khusnutdinov - E. Lindholm - Jeannot

Eyssimont - Kuraly - Kastelic

Aspirot - McAvoy

H. Lindholm - Lohrei 

Zadorov - Peeke

Swayman

Korpisalo

Washington

Ovechkin - Sourdif - Beauvillier

Lapierre - Dubois - Wilson

Protas - Strome - Leonard

Duhaime - McMichael - Frank

Sandin - Roy

Chychrun - Liljegren

Fehervary - Van Riemsdyk

Thompson

Lindgren

PREGAME NOTES

The Boston Bruins return to Washington D.C. to take on the Capitals on ABC.

Boston changes their lines with Frasier Minten and Morgan Geekie playing on the first line with David Pastrnak. 

Auston Matthews is out for the remainder of the NFL season with a grade three MCL tear. The Bruins own Toronto's 2026 first round pick which is top five protected.