Laich's OT Goal Lifts Capitals In a 3-2 Win Over Bruins

This was a matchup between the worst scoring team in the NHL, the Boston Bruins, and the best scoring team in the NHL, the Washington Capitals.

The better scoring team came away with the victory. Brooks Laich put home the winning goal in overtime. The game winner occurred on a Capitals power play less than one minute into the extra frame. Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman was called for high-sticking.

Nicklas Backstrom got the first goal of the game for the Capitals at 07:36 in the first period. Backstrom received a cross ice pass from Alexander Ovechkin and beat Rask with a snap shot from the right slot.

It appeared Rask got a piece of the shot, but the puck slipped behind him and barely got past the goal line. The goal went under review, but there was no conclusive evidence to overturn it and the goal stood.

The Bruins returned the favor late in the first period. Patrice Bergeron won an important face off draw with 6.3 seconds remaining. The puck was kicked back to Zdeno Chara and he passed the puck left to Wideman, who took a slap shot and beat Washington goalie Jose Theodore for the tying goal with 1.6 seconds remaining in the period.

Boston got another goal in the second period to make it 2-1. Bergeron put a nice move on Theodore. The goalie was selling the backhand, but Bergeron switched directions and scored with a forehand at 07:55.

The Capitals responded at 19:31 with a goal from Mike Knuble to tie the game at 2-2. Ovechkin was crashing the net from the left side in the Boston zone to try to sneak a shot on goal. But Knuble was driving to the net and was able to slap the puck past the Bruins goalie.

Washington committed three penalties, while Boston committed only one penalty before overtime. The Bruins managed to get only three total shots on goal on their three power plays. Considering they are the worst scoring team in the league, that is something they can't afford to do against teams like the Capitals, or against any team in the playoffs, shall they make it there.

Despite the OT loss, the Bruins pick up a point and remain as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with 85 points. The B's have three games remaining, two of them at home. They host Buffalo and Carolina, and then return to Washington for their final regular season game.

The Bruins put up a valiant effort on Monday night against a good Washington Capitals team. They are going up against goaltender Ryan Miller, one of the best goalies in the game, on Thursday. It will be interesting to see how the Bruins offense performs.

Assuming Tuukka Rask starts for the remainder of the season, the Bruins will need him to perform well down the stretch.