After dropping their last three games, the Washington Capitals bounced back on the road Tuesday night as they beat the Boston Bruins in a 4-3 thriller.
Tuesday also marked the Capitals debut of Ryan Leonard, who is coming off an NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament loss with Boston College. Leonard played well, as he registered 14:14 of ice time, three hits, and a +1 rating.
Washington struck first in the opening period while on the penalty kill, as Nic Dowd scored a shorthanded goal to put the Caps up 1-0. It was the Capitals’ eighth shorthanded goal of the season.
Two minutes later, Alex Ovechkin was right in front of the net for an easy power play goal to make it 2-0. That’s tally No. 891 for The Great 8, as he now only needs four more to pass Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin also recorded an assist later on in the game.
However, Washington surrendered two goals in the middle frame, as Vinni Lettieri and David Pastrnak tied it up at 2-2.
Luckily, the Caps responded with two more tallies in the third; Dylan Strome snuck the puck past Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman, and Tom Wilson’s pass bounced off Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei and into the net. Strome also had an assist on the Ovechkin goal early on.
Seconds after the Wilson tally, Pastrnak scored to make it a one-goal game with under five minutes left in regulation, but Washington hung on for the win.
The contest also featured a fight between Dylan McIlrath and Boston’s Jeffrey Viel.
