WASHINGTON (AP) — Hampus Lindholm watched helplessly from the penalty field as his Boston Bruins teammates killed off his four-minute double minor for top sticking in time beyond regulation and marveled at how they obtained the job achieved from goaltender Jeremy Swayman on out.

They have been simply paying Lindholm again.

Lindholm scored a objective at one finish, prevented one on the different and Boston beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 in a shootout Saturday evening in a possible first-round playoff preview. The defenseman from Sweden obtained simply his second objective of the season however arguably extra importantly dived within the crease to cease the puck from going within the internet within the opening minute.

“I owe him a pair Swedish fikas,” Swayman mentioned, referring to the Scandinavian nation’s in style espresso break pastry. “I used to be fairly fired up when that occurred, and it clearly saved a objective and that’s two factors.”

Kevin Shattenkirk scored the shootout winner, rookie John Beecher had a objective and Swayman made 18 saves in regulation and time beyond regulation for the Bruins, who have been taking part in for the primary time since clinching their eighth consecutive postseason look.

With the victory after surviving the prolonged penalty kill, they leapfrogged the Florida Panthers to maneuver again into first place within the Atlantic Division and saved tempo with the New York Rangers for the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice benefit all through the playoffs.

“We had our moments there the place we shedding a number of these video games a pair months in the past going into overtimes and both shedding there or shedding in shootouts,” mentioned Shattenkirk, who has been out and in of the lineup and was chosen by goaltending coach Bob Essensa to go fifth within the shootout. “It’s nice to see us flip the nook and, clearly, taking strides there.”

The Capitals hope to affix Boston within the playoffs, however that’ll rely upon how they play their last eight video games and what occurs with Detroit and Philadelphia, the opposite groups vying for the ultimate two spots within the Jap Convention. By choosing up a degree, they moved forward of the Flyers, who misplaced Saturday evening, for third place within the Metropolitan Division as a result of they’ve performed fewer video games and went two up on the Purple Wings, who misplaced in a shootout at Florida earlier Saturday.

“We’re simply actually mission-focused proper now as an alternative of destination-focused proper now,” mentioned goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who stopped 27 of the 29 photographs he confronted. “We’re worrying concerning the product that we’re placing on the ice. The opposite groups, they’ve to fret about themselves. We’re going to fret about ourselves in right here.”

John Carlson grew to become simply the ninth defenseman to attain a objective in his 1,000th NHL sport, Michael Sgarbossa additionally had a objective, validating coach Spencer Carbery’s resolution to maintain him within the lineup when Sonny Milano returned from an damage absence.

“It might’ve been good to win, however it confirmed a number of guts from us tonight,” Carlson mentioned. “You bear down in each sport, in each state of affairs, and we confirmed some poise. It wasn’t excellent tonight, however we confirmed some poise coming again and battling in it till the tip and giving ourselves an opportunity to win.”

However Lindgren was hardly in charge for the Caps’ second consecutive loss, because the opportunistic Bruins took benefit of turnovers and different errors and cashed in with objectives. They bounced again from a deflating 3-1 loss at Tampa Bay, blocking 29 photographs towards the Capitals to succeed in 101 factors on the season.

“This win positively goes to my D core blocking photographs all evening,” Swayman mentioned.

UP NEXT

Bruins: Go to Nashville on Tuesday evening.

Capitals: Go to Buffalo on Tuesday evening.

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