T.J. Oshie and Alex Ovechkin each had a goal and an assist while Charlie Lindgren stopped all 18 shots he faced as the visiting Washington Capitals blanked the Boston Bruins 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Oshie’s power-play goal at 1:05 of the second period held up as the game-winner before Dylan Strome and Ovechkin added insurance markers in the third to help the Capitals snap a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) that started on Jan. 20.
Ovechkin scored his 57th career empty-net goal with 27 seconds left, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. It was also Ovechkin’s 834th goal, pulling him within 60 of Gretzky on the NHL career goals list.
Lindgren preserved his third shutout of the season with 10 stops in the third period.
Boston recorded just four shots in each of the first two frames and finished the game 0-for-4 on the power play.
Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves in his second straight loss for the Bruins.
The first period rolled without a stoppage until Boston’s Hampus Lindholm was called for holding at 7:49. Washington dominated the frame, holding a 15-4 shots advantage while Boston went without one until Anthony Richard’s backhander at 8:40.
Swayman made several strong saves to keep the Capitals off the scoreboard, including flashing the glove to rob Ovechkin on a point-blank chance with 4:27 left.
A five-minute major power play for Washington — after a Matt Grzelcyk spearing call and game misconduct with 1:47 left in the first — led to Oshie drawing first blood early in the middle frame.
Max Pacioretty set up the opening goal, slipping a pass from below the right goal line across to Oshie in the left circle, where he fired a wrist shot that beat Swayman over the glove.
Washington doubled its lead at 3:24 of the third. Strome collected an Ovechkin feed as he slid down the slot and beat Swayman upstairs.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery opted to pull Swayman in favor of an extra skater during a late power play, but Ovechkin broke out of the penalty box for the last-minute empty-netter.
Richard was making his Bruins debut after being recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
–Field Level Media
