Final: Bruins 4, Capitals 1 - Bruins score 3 goals in third period defeating the Eastern Conference leading Capitals

The Bruins defeat the Washington Capitals 4-1 in what might be their best win this season.

In the first period, the Bruins outplayed the Capitals finishing the period with a 1-0 lead. Boston dominated the Eastern Conference leaders with physicality beating the Capitals to pucks in the corner. 

With two minutes remaining in the period, Justin Brazeau scored the first goal on the power play backhanding a rebound goal in front of the net.

The Bruins weren't able to maintain this momentum going into the next period. Three minutes into the second, Brandon Carlo got called for an interference penalty, and Washington tied the game with a one-timer power play goal from Jakub Vrana.

The Capitals put a lot of pressure in the offensive zone the rest of the period, and the game stayed 1-1 going into the final period. During this time David Pastrnak left the bench with an injury and was out for the rest of the game.

Despite a rough start to the final period, the Bruins ended up on top playing one of their best periods of the season. 

10 seconds into the period, Oliver Wahlstrom received a five minute game misconduct for a hit on Martin Fehervary. The Bruins completely shut down the Capitals on the five minute kill, preventing Washington from getting a single shot on net. 

Late into the third period, Brad Marchand's line dominated the rest of the game, with each player on the second line recording a goal. Elias Lindholm backhanded a goal on an odd-man rush receiving a pass in front of the net from Marchand.

Following the goal, Charlie Coyle scored the second goal of the period on a backhand rebound chance after Marchand hit the post.

And to wrap up the game, Marchand sealed the victory with an empty net goal to give the Bruins a massive win against the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Great penalty kills, great forechecking, and a great offensive serge from Marchand's line lead to the win going into the Christmas break for Boston.

The Bruins will play their next game on Friday at 7 p.m. playing back-to-back games against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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WHO: Bruins (18-13-4) vs Capitals (23-8-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: TD Garden, Boston
TV: NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE

ROSTERS

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Geekie - Zacha - Pastrnak

Marchand - E. Lindholm - Coyle

Brazeau - Frederic - Wahlstrom

Beecher - Kastelic - Koepke

Zadorov - McAvoy

Oesterle - Carlo

Lohrei - Peeke

Swayman

Korpisalo

Washington

Mangiapane - Strome - Wilson

McMichael - Dubois - Protas

Vrana - Lapierre - Raddysh

Duhaime - Dowd - Miroshnichenko

Sandin - Carlson

Fehervary - Roy

Chychrun - Van Riemsdyk

Lindgren

Thompson

PREGAME NOTES

The Bruins take on the Eastern Conference leading Washington Capitals tonight in Boston for the first time this season. Boston will take on the Capitals two more times this season, but this is the only game that will take place in the TD Garden.

Oliver Wahlstrom had a team-low 9:48 of ice time for the Bruins in their 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres. “He doesn’t get a lot of power play time when we’re on the power play because we have a guy that stays up there," said interim head coach Joe Sacco in response to Wahlstrom's ice time. "He’s not on the PK, so his ice time gets cut a little bit."

The Bruins will keep the same lines they had in their game against the Sabres.