Washington Capitals Playoffs: The last time they met the Bruins
The Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins are no strangers to each other in the postseason. The last time they truly met in a playoff series (no we aren’t counting the round robin bubble) was in 2012 and each game was more intense than the last. Four out of the seven games went to overtime.
The Caps and Bruins met in Game 1 in Boston. That game would be scoreless after 60 and decided in overtime. The Bruins won it 1:18 into the overtime on a goal from Chris Kelly.
The Caps would rebound a few nights later in Game 2. Troy Brouwer put the Caps up 1-0 in the second. The Bruins tied it in the third but Nicklas Backstrom would win it in overtime with a goal at 2:56.
The series shifted to D.C. with the series square at one. The Bruins stole one at then called Verizon Center to take the series lead. The Caps went up 1-0 on a goal from Alex Semin. Gave up a goal but retook the lead with a goal from Alex Ovechkin. The Caps then allowed two goals before Brooks Laich tied it. A late goal from Zdeno Chara, how bout that, with less than two minutes left would be the difference.
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The Caps would rebound with a win in Game 4. Marcus Johansson put the Caps on the board before the Bruins tied it. Semin scored on the power play in the second in what would go on to be the game winning goal.
The series shifted to Boston for Game 5 tied at two and it would be the Caps that got the momentum. Semin and Jay Beagle gave the Caps a 2-0 lead in the second before allowing two goals by the Bruins including one to Brad Marchand. Mike Knuble gave the Caps the lead right back before the Bruins tied it again. But a late goal on the power play from Brouwer with 1:27 left would be the difference as the Caps headed back to D.C. with the series lead.
Game 6 was back in D.C. giving the Caps a chance to close it out on their home ice. The Bruins took a 1-0 lead before Mike Green tied it. Boston took it right back before Jason Chimera tied it in the second. In the third the Bruins retook the lead before Ovechkin tied it with under five minutes left. Tyler Seguin would win the game in overtime extending the series to Game 7.
Game 7 promised to be epic. The Caps took the lead on a goal from Matt Hendricks in the first period. Seguin would tie it in the second. Then Joel Ward rebounded in a shot from Knuble to stun the crowd in Boston.
Ward said that his underdog mentality fueled him to be the hero of Game 7. He told Tarik El-Bashir, then with The Washington Post:
“I’ve done it this way my whole life. I’ve always been the underdog. I’ve never been a top guy. But I never doubted myself.”
More. Washington Capitals Playoffs: Breaking Down the East Division. light
The Caps and Bruins renew their rivalry on Saturday night for Game 1. Tuesday’s game didn’t mean anything but it gave the Caps a jolt heading into the postseason. 2012 was entertaining and 2021 promises to be even more exciting.