Capitals
Bruins
0 - 1 Final - OT
  for this game

Bruins grab series lead with OT victory over Caps

Apr 13, 2012 - 4:45 AM
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Through 60 minutes there were no goals.

It took only 78 seconds for Boston forward Chris Kelly to pot the game-winner in overtime and give the Bruins a 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at TD Garden.

Each team had a shot in the abbreviated overtime, with reigning playoff MVP Tim Thomas kicking out a bid from Washington's Marcus Johansson.

Seconds later, Kelly beat playoff neophyte Braden Holtby to the glove side with a slap shot from the top of the left circle.

"Just didn't react to [the shot]," Holtby admitted.

Thomas made 17 saves to record his sixth career playoff shutout.

"It's playoff-style hockey, no high-scoring games," Kelly said.

The defending Stanley Cup champions Bruins will host Game 2 on Saturday afternoon.

For the seventh-seeded Capitals, their biggest concern heading into the playoffs centered around goaltending.

Because of injuries to Tomas Vokoun (groin) and Michal Neuvirth (left leg), Washington used its third-stringer Holtby and the 22-year-old shined in his postseason debut, recording 29 saves and keeping the Capitals in the game when they were heavily outshot in the second period.

Boston registered 17 second-period shots to Washington's two. The disparity was mainly due to the Bruins having four power plays, including a 4-on-3 advantage for 1:36.

"In the second period, we took a lot of penalties and [Holtby] had to be sharp," said Washington head coach Dale Hunter.

Thomas was the busier of the two netminders in the third period as the Bruins went more than 10 minutes without a shot on goal.

Game Notes

Thomas had a 1.98 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in 25 playoff games last spring...Boston defenseman Andrew Ference played in his 100th NHL playoff game...The Bruins announced Wednesday that forward Nathan Horton will not be available this postseason because of a concussion...The Bruins and Capitals have split two previous playoff meetings.






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