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I’m beyond the point of trying to explain it. The Eastern Conference is complete nonsense. And the Boston Bruins, with 95 points and three games left, are in the middle of this clown car cavalcade.
As much as the Bruins were helped out by Sunday’s results, they were equally harmed by a Tuesday night NHL slate that saw both the Ottawa Senators (in overtime) and Detroit Red Wings (in regulation) both grab two points, while the Pittsburgh Penguins picked up one by way of their overtime loss. Those results dropped the Bruins back into the second wild card, and into a tie with the Sens with 95 points each, although the B’s hold the end on that last playoff spot by virtue of their game in hand.
That game in hand benefit goes away tonight following the B’s matchup with the Washington Capitals. You know, the same Caps club that the Bruins have yet to score a goal against in 2014-15.
When it comes to the head-to-head matchup between the Bruins and Capitals this year, it’s all relatively simple: Washington captain Alexander Ovechkin and the rest of the Caps have executed on their chances, whereas the B’s have been stonewalled by both sloppy finishing and superb goaltending.
The Bruins, as they have for much of the season, ran themselves into both of those things in their last game, too, a 2-1 shootout win over the Maple Leafs last Saturday. But the Caps ain’t the Leafs.
In more ways than one, of course, but the biggest difference between those two is that the Caps still have something to play for. Although they’ve already clinched a playoff spot, and cannot catch the Presidents’ Trophy winning New York Rangers for first place, Washington currently holds a one-point edge over the New York Islanders for the second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. And given their potential first-round matchup with an Islander club that’s won 25 of 40 at home this year, the Capitals would certainly prefer to keep themselves in a situation where four of seven are played in D.C..
In essence, the Bruins should expect nothing short of the the Caps’ best punch tonight. But that’s nothing new for a Black and Gold club that’s won five in a row in spite of forever-juggling lines.
The Caps enter tonight’s game with wins in seven of their last 10, and a win tonight would give Washington a season-series sweep over the Bruins for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
To the shock of absolutely no one, the Black and Gold will give this start to Tuukka Rask.
It’s Rask’s 35th start since Jan. 1 (the Bruins have played 42 games over that stretch, and Rask has appeared in all but five), and his 68th of the season. That number moves Rask into a tie with Byron Dafoe (1998-99) and Terry Sawchuk (1955-56) for the second-most appearances in a single-season by a Bruins goaltender. (The record is 70, shared by three guys and accomplished five times). But this start isn’t about the number for Rask, but rather how the start goes. And when it comes to Rask’s head-to-head with the Capitals, it’s pretty much all bad for No. 40. Rask has just one win and a .893 save percentage in eight career games against the Caps, and the Verizon Center is one of just five buildings the 28-year-old has failed to record a win in (he’s gone 0-3-3 in D.C.). In case you’re curious, the other four buildings are located in the West (Anaheim, Colorado, Los Angeles, and Vancouver).
Washington counters with Braden Holtby. Although the 25-year-old has looked human of late, it was an impressive 35-of-36 showing against the Detroit Red Wings in his last appearance that earned Holtby his 40th win of the year (and the 100th win of his NHL career). Against the Bruins, that kind of line looks normal, too, as Holtby comes into tonight’s game with six wins (two shutouts) and a .948 save percentage in seven career starts against the Black and Gold. In fact, Holtby hasn’t even allowed a goal against the B’s this season (two games and a perfect 61-of-61 mark). And if you asked me (which you’re not), Holtby should be the third finalist for the Vezina behind Carey Price and Pekka Rinne.
- Boston’s Milan Lucic has five goals and 18 points in 26 career games against the Caps.
- Brad Marchand has gone 14 consecutive games without a goal.
- Third-line center Carl Soderberg has two goals and six points in his last five games.
- Washington’s Alex Ovechkin has 16 goals and 36 points in 35 career games against the B’s.
- John Carlson has been held without a point in nine of his last 13 games played.
Other news and notes
It’ll be interesting to see who’s out as the B’s healthy scratch for this one. Julien has insisted that it’s a mere rotation, and that’s he’s looking to keep the ‘competition’ between teammates strong. Danny Paille has basically been banished to the press box as a healthy scratch, it was Max Talbot that sat a couple of games back, and fourth-line Gregory Campbell this past Saturday. Saturday’s game was Campbell’s first game as a healthy scratch in his five seasons with Boston.
“I think Soupy’s one of our great faceoff guys and he’s a good penalty killer. At the same time, I feel we’ve got a lot of players that can go in and out right now,… Julien said last Saturday. “That’s one of the reasons, but at the same time I’m trying to create a little bit of competition here; I don’t want anybody comfortable, knowing that they’re automatics game in and game out.…
If you asked me, it might be time to get Paille, who has not played since Mar. 22, back in for a game.
Boston’s big injury is on their point, with Dougie Hamilton still back in Boston as he attempts to recover from a brutal case of the undisclosed in hopes of a playoff return. That’s not the only injury on defense, though, as the B’s are also still without Kevan Miller (shoulder, done for the year).
The Capitals are dealing with some injury issues of their own, too. Forwards Jay Beagle (upper-body), Eric Fehr (upper-body), and the [stuff]-disturbing Tom Wilson (head) are dealing with various ailments. The Caps are also without defender John Erskine (neck surgery).
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com