NISKANEN GOAL IN OVERTIME LIFTS CAPS OVER BRUINS
It wasn’t easy. And it certainly wasn’t pretty. But they got it done.
The Washington Capitals penalty kill and goalie Philipp Grubauer did yeoman’s work and got it to overtime, where Matt Niskanen’s blast from the point beat Tuukka Rask and the Caps escaped Boston with a 2-1 win, pushing the season’s point total to 100. On March 5.
The Caps (48-13-4) become the 10th team in NHL history to reach 100 points in 65 games.
Grubauer had 24 saves, with several exceptional ones during an extended penalty kill in the second period, to earn the win.
Playing three-on-three in the extra session, Boston got a breakaway but Marcus Johansson hustled back to help break up the attack. Johansson raced the puck back into the offensive zone and gave it over to Andre Burakovsky. Burakovsky delayed, then saucered to Niskanen, who let loose the Nisk-cannon for goal No. 5 on the season, and his second game winner in the past week. [Read more…]