Capitals 3, Bruins 2 (SO): Washington Survives Late Bruins Surge, Wins in Shootout

Brooks Laich scored Washington's third shootout goal to give the Capitals a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at TD Garden, but Boston still clinched a playoff berth with the point earned from the overtime loss.

After Dennis Wideman scored what looked to be the game-winning goal just eight minutes into the third period, Marcus Johansson netted a second for Washington just 115 seconds later and it looked like the Caps were poised to pile on - or keep lulling the Bruins to sleep.

But suddenly, the Boston offense awoke, as David Krejci and Andrew Ference potted the puck 154 seconds apart in the last 3:10 of the game to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Jason Chimera was disqualified from the game at 14:00 of the first period after charging Adam McQuaid. McQuaid's head went into the boards on the hit and he did not return to the game after skating off the ice under his own power.

Thomas Vokoun played just 18:25 of the first period before giving way to Michael Neuvirth after seemingly aggravating a lower-body injury that had kept him out of the team's last six games.

But that was the game's only action for an extended period, as the Bruins struggled to create any offensive looks on the ensuing five-minute major to Chimera and the Caps kept the Bruins from generating much transition offense using a deliberate, D-to-D approach, making short passes and winning the neutral zone.