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2020-21 | EDFR | (E2) Washington Capitals vs. (E3) Boston Bruins


Phil

Who wins?  

12 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins?

    • Caps in 4
    • Caps in 5
      0
    • Caps in 6
    • Caps in 7
    • Bruins in 4
      0
    • Bruins in 5
      0
    • Bruins in 6
    • Bruins in 7


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(E2) Washington Capitals vs. (E3) Boston Bruins

 

 

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REGULAR SEASON RECORDS:

 

Capitals: 36-15-5, 77 points

Bruins: 33-16-7, 73 points

 

 

SEASON SERIES:

 

WSH 4-4-0; BOS 4-2-2

 

 

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[td]GAME BREAKERS:[/td]

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[td]Capitals: Nicklas Backstrom led the Capitals with 53 points (15 goals, 38 assists), the first time he's done so since 2016-17. And though he's not usually the one finishing off the plays, Backstrom is often the one setting them up, his brilliant passing creating so many of the chances the Capitals have scored on over his 1,011 NHL games. Backstrom leads Washington with nine points (one goal, eight assists) against Boston this season. [/td]

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[td]Bruins: It's not clear how he's doing it, but Brad Marchand is getting better with age. The left wing, who turned 33 on Tuesday, averaged 1.30 points per game this season, the highest of his NHL career. He also averaged an NHL career-high .55 goals per game, and he's playing more in control than he ever has before.[/td]

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[td]GOALTENDING:[/td]

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[td]Capitals: The Capitals might not have expected Vitek Vanecek to get the bulk of their starts this season, but the rookie has held his own in net. Vanecek started 36 games, going 21-10-4 with a 2.69 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. The Capitals also have rookie Ilya Samsonov, who started 18 games, going 13-4-1 with a 2.69 GAA and .902 save percentage. The third option for the Capitals is veteran Craig Anderson (2-1-0, 2.13 GAA, .915 save percentage).[/td]

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[td]Bruins: Tuukka Rask hasn't had the smoothest of seasons, but he is ending it right where he wants to be: healthy and on a roll heading into the playoffs. Rask is 7-1-0 in his past nine starts, with a 2.00 goals-against average and .923 save percentage and. Cassidy said on Tuesday that he will use rookie Jeremy Swayman (7-3-0, 1.50 GAA, .945), who has arrived in the NHL ahead of schedule, to back up Rask. Cassidy also has veteran Jaroslav Halak (9-6-4, 2.53 GAA, .905) who missed three weeks in April because of a positive test for COVID-19 and saw Swayman pass him on the depth chart.[/td]

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[td]X FACTORS:[/td]

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[td]Capitals: The Capitals added a key piece before the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring Anthony Mantha from the Detroit Red Wings on April 12. Mantha scored a goal in each of his first five games, including one against Boston. Mantha has never played in the playoffs in his six seasons in the NHL, but he could play a meaningful role in his first chance.[/td]

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[td]Bruins: Taylor Hall has been a different player in Boston since his April 12 trade from the Buffalo Sabres. He scored 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 games with the Bruins after scoring 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 37 games with the Sabres. Hall is a player with the talent to win the Hart Trophy, which he did in 2018 with the New Jersey Devils; he's playing like that guy again. [/td]

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[td]WILL WIN IF:[/td]

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[td]Capitals: They stay healthy. The Capitals have run into injury issues of late, with Ovechkin (lower body), Oshie (lower body), Carlson (lower body) and Backstrom (lower body) all missing time in the past week. Add to that the fact that Kuznetsov remains on the COVID-19 protocol list and the Capitals aren't heading into the playoffs at full strength. But they can get back there quickly. [/td]

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[td]Bruins: Their defensemen hold up. The Bruins took a gamble in the offseason, allowing Chara and Torey Krug (St. Louis Blues) to sign elsewhere as unrestricted free agents and deciding to go with some youth. It has been rocky at times, but the defense (and goaltending) have held opponents to 2.39 goals against per game this season, fourth-lowest in the NHL. And trading for defenseman Mike Reilly from the Senators on April 11 has strengthened the group, though Boston is still relying on Kevan Miller and his surgically repaired knee.[/td]

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More: https://www.nhl.com/news/washington-capitals-boston-bruins-playoff-preview/c-324612332?tid=287339198

 

 

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Marshit in OT.

 

Watching these teams play is like one of them playing in a mirror they are so evenly matched. Both teams have skill, skating and that heavy-body approach to finishing their checks. Watching last night, I get the sense that we need more of some of that in our lineup. Pretty tic-tac-toe passing goes only so far when you are getting pounded every shift. Fun to watch in the regular season but a recipe for disaster when teams buckle down.

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