Recapping the 2021 Bruins-Capitals regular season series

If nothing else, it’s safe to say that the Bruins and Capitals are quite familiar with each other by this point in 2021.

The two teams have already played each other eight times this calendar year, with at least four more games on tap.

The Bruins were 4-2-2 against the Capitals during the regular season, so they won as many games as they lost (though those extra two loser points helped).

However, it’s worth remembering that the two times the Capitals beat the Bruins in regulation were games that saw the Bruins playing with severely depleted rosters.

I guess the take-home points here are that the Bruins played just fine against the Capitals this season and that we should probably expect a playoff series filled with close games.

Let’s take a look back!

1/30/21: Capitals 4, Bruins 3 (OT)

As was their modus operandi during the early parts of this season, the Bruins fell behind big and then mounted a furious comeback.

The B’s went down 3-0 midway through the second period, but got one in the second and two in the third (including one in the final minute of regulation) to force OT.

In that OT, Alex Ovechkin beat Tuukka Rask with a wrister to give the Caps the win; while Ovechkin is one of the best scorers ever, it’s a shot Rask would like to have back.

2/1/21: Bruins 5, Capitals 3

Remember that whole thing about falling behind? The Bruins did it again in this game, once again spotting Washington a 3-0 lead.

This time, however, the Bruins decided it was time to play, and utterly pasted the Caps in the latter half of the game.

The B’s scored five consecutive goals (with one being an empty netter) to turn a three-goal deficit into a two-goal win.

This game was also notable for giving us Trent Frederic vs. Tom Wilson, Part 1:

3/3/21: Bruins 2, Capitals 1 (Shootout)

This game was probably closest to what many people expect in this playoff series: tightly played, with each team limiting the other’s chances and not much to choose between the two sides.

The Bruins managed to land just 19 shots on Vitek Vanecek in this game, which isn’t going to get it done most nights.

Both goals came in the third period, with David Pastrnak scoring first then Lars Eller equalizing a few minutes later.

Ultimately, Vanecek stopped all three shots he saw in the shootout, while since-traded Jakub Vrana scored for the Caps.

3/5/21: Bruins 5, Capitals 1

This was one of the more satisfying Bruins wins of the season, as the B’s pummeled the Caps both with fists and on the scoreboard after Wilson’s cheapshot on Brandon Carlo.

The B’s had a 1-0 lead when Carlo was injured, then scored four consecutive goals before Vrana got a consolation goal in the third.

This game was more notable for the fisticuffs, as Wilson was called to fight twice and the teams combined for 40 penalty minutes.

The Bruins managed to chase Vanecek in this game, as he was pulled after allowing four goals on 18 shots.

4/8/21: Bruins 4, Capitals 2

This one saw the Bruins take the opposite track from the first two games of the season series, as they jumped out to an early lead instead of falling behind.

The B’s took a 3-0 into the second half of the second period, but then Anton Blidh (who scored in this game as well) took two penalties on the same play, then Jakub Zboril was whistled for interference to give the Caps a two-man advantage.

Two PPGs later, it was a one-goal game; however, the Bruins clamped down in the third period and got a late PPG from Craig Smith to earn the two-goal win.

This game was also a penalty-filled affair, with the two teams combining for 36 penalty minutes.

4/11/21: Capitals 8, Bruins 1

Capitals fans will try to point to this game as a sign that the Caps are perfectly capable of utterly dominating this Bruins team, but this game came against a shell of a roster.

The Bruins were without Carlo, Kevan Miller, Matt Grzelcyk, and Charlie McAvoy.

Their first defense pair? Jeremy Lauzon and Jack Ahcan.

The six dressed defensemen were Lauzon, Ahcan, Jarred Tinordi, Steve Kampfer, Zboril, and Connor Clifton.

Oh, and rookie Dan Vladar was in net.

Yeah, good luck.

Of course, it’s fair to say that the Bruins probably should have done better than a seven-goal loss; however, it’s also important to add the asterisk of this game being played with a comically depleted roster.

4/18/21: Bruins 6, Capitals 3

The teams’ first post-deadline match-up was a back-and-forth affair: the Bruins went up 2-0, then fell behind 3-2, then ended up winning 6-3.

It was a game of streaks, I guess.

It was also a game of pairs: David Krejci, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron each scored two goals for the Bruins, while TJ Oshie scored two for Washington.

This game also featured some of the rough stuff, with Garnet Hathaway boarding Tinordi.

5/11/21: Capitals 2, Bruins 1

This one just happened, you don’t need a refresher.

If you want to relive the Marlboro Bruins vs. the Capitals, Sky has you covered.