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Caps use late surge to beat Bruins

Nov 6, 2010 - 3:46 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Mike Green and Alex Ovechkin each had a goal and an assist while John Carlson netted the game-winner in the third period as the Washington Capitals survived to take a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins.

Alexander Semin and Tyler Sloan each had a goal for the Capitals, who have won three straight and five of six.

Michal Neuvrith was carrying a shutout into the third period, but was pulled after allowing three goals in the final frame and finished the contest stopping 11 of 14 shots. Braden Holtby stopped all four shots in relief for his first NHL win in his first NHL game.

"I didn't know if it was fair to Braden to put him in his first game with 10 minutes to play, but he did great," said Washington coach Bruce Boudreau. "We played good the first two periods and shut them down, but they came out really hard in the third. We were able to right the ship and come out with the win."

Nathan Horton, Shawn Thornton and Michael Ryder each lit the lamp for the Bruins, who came into the game having won seven of eight. Tuukka Rask was handed the loss as he gave up one goal on 13 shots in the third.

Tim Thomas had his worst start of the season as he was charged with a season- high three goals on 25 shots before being pulled for the start of the third. He came into the game 7-0-0 in his seven starts with a 0.72 GAA and .977 save percentage this year.

"We battled back and that's always a positive when you do it against a team like that," said Boston head coach Claude Julien. "But when you play 20 minutes of a 60-minute game against that team you're not going to win."

Washington had scored three times in the second period and chased Thomas from the net, but Boston got back into the contest in the third with a pair of power-play goals.

The first came 3:07 in on Ryder's wrister, and Horton made it 3-2 less than a minute later with his sixth goal of the season.

At the midway mark of the frame, the Bruins tied it as Thornton's backhander snuck past Neuvrith, who was then replaced in net by Holtby.

The Capitals finally answered the burst and took the lead back as Carlson's slap shot sailed past Rask for a 4-3 advantage with 6:35 to play.

Boston pulled Rask for the extra attacker late, but Ovechkin sealed the win with the empty-netter.

After a scoreless first period, the Caps notched three goals in the middle frame to take command.

Just 59 seconds into the frame, Sloan scored his first goal of the year on a slapper, and at the 7:35 mark the Capitals made it a 2-0 game on Green's third goal of the campaign.

Skating shorthanded, Washington got another goal thanks in large part to Semin. A pass from the left point to the right was tipped into the neutral zone by Semin, who caught up to it behind the point man and skated down the ice on a 2-on-1. It turned into a 3-on-1 and Semin played catch with Green with the final pass coming to the low left side, where Semin one-timed it past Thomas at the 17:50 mark.

Game Notes

The Caps wrap up their three-game homestand Sunday against Philly...Boston returns home to face St. Louis on Saturday...The Bruins had taken a home-and- home set against Washington earlier in the season. However, Washington has won eight of the last 12 games between the two clubs...Boston was 5-0-0 on the road coming into the game...Boston went 2-for-3 on the power play while Washington was 0-for-3.