The Boston Bruins have pushed the Washington Capitals on the brink of elimination after a dominating performance in Game 4. The Bruins out-skated the Capitals in every facade of the game in tune to a 4-1 win Friday night.
Four different Bruins scored goals. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy had three assists. David Pastrnak added a goal and assist. Tuukka Rask stopped 19 out of 20 shots for Boston.
Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin scored one goal and Ilya Samsonov stopped 33 shots in an dreadful night for the Capitals.
Washington will try to avoid elimination in Game 5 back in DC on Sunday.
1. Capitals had no energy from the opening face-off
The Capitals looked old, slow and lethargic. Is their older age catching up with the team? Did three straight overtime games drained them? Whatever is the reason, the Capitals looked tired and fatigued.
Maybe the injuries with a good amount of players with lower body injury are playing a factor? Washington had zero energy on both ends of the ice. The Bruins beat them on special teams. They dominated on 5-on-5. The puck stalled at the blue line repeatedly for the Capitals and Boston did a great job of keeping them on their heels.
As a result, the Capitals had just four shots on goal through the first period. They had six through half of the game. At the end of the two periods they were outscore 23-13. Once the third period started the flood gates opened.
2. Bruins took over in the third period
Up 1-0, Boston opened the game up in the first minute of the third, scoring two goals to push their lead to 3-0. David Pastrnak scored the second of three Boston power play goals 29 seconds into the period.
Less than a minute late Charlie Coyle put the puck in the net to complete a Boston breakaway after a Tom Wilson missed shot.
Given the flow of the game that was the game-sealer. Yes, Alex Ovechkin scored to cut the deficit to 3-1 and the Capitals showed some lift. But, the game was already decided. When they had to Boston dominated.
Some would credit Dmitry Orlov’s hit on Kevan Miller that pushed Boston into another gear out of frustration. Miller was taken to the hospital between the second and third periods and the Bruins seemed to come out with vengeance for their fallen teammate.
3. Capitals got destroyed on special teams
The game was won and lost in special teams. The Capitals received two early power plays in the first and could not capitalize. Through two periods they were 0-for-4. Ovechkin’s tally left Washington 1-of-7 on the man advantage for the game. Meanwhile, the Bruins were the total opposite. Boston was 3-of-5 on the power play.
The Bruins did a marvelous job of stopping the Capitals from doing what they wanted. Boston blocked shots from the circle as if they knew what was coming. And the lack of activity in front of the net allowed the Bruins to sell out on blocked shot.
In contrast, Boston crashed the net on their power plays. They got in front obstructing Capitals’ goalie Ilya Samonsov’s view to the tune of three power play goals. Something has to give if Washington wants to survive Game 5 and the series.
They have to be more aggressive 5-on-5 and create more net activity on the power play. On the other end, they’ll have to do a better job forcing the puck high and away from the net.
