Bruins Streak Snapped at Six

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As Seen on VERSUS – The Boston Bruins endured a 10-2 defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals Monday night in Washington, DC's Verizon Center. The loss ended their six-game win streak and eight-game point streak. 

Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin had a hat trick in the first period, the first goal of which was his 50th for the season, as well as an assist on the team’s seventh and ninth goals of the night, while Cristobal Huet made 20 saves in his first home game since being traded before giving way to Olie Kolzig in the third.

Riding their longest point streak since the 2005-2006 season, as well as their longest win streak since the 2003-2004 season, the Boston Bruins traveled to Our Nation’s Capital.

Boston had some history on their side: the Capitals had not beaten the Bruins since April 2006, and they have not won at home against the B’s since December 2003.

Washington was ready to turn things around, though, and just 32 seconds into the game, Matt Cooke took advantage of a Bruins line change and staked the Capitals to an early lead.

It was the team’s earliest goal of this season.

Boston had a chance to take advantage of a power play at 3:35 when Washington was penalized for having too many men on the ice, but Huet, the new Caps goalie, stood strong.

A breakaway goal by Alexander Ovechkin at 6:18 brought his personal goal total for the season to 50 and gave Washington a 2-0 lead.

Perhaps hoping to change the momentum around, Zdeno Chara dropped his gloves and took on Donald Brashear, and that earned them both five-minute fighting penalties.

However, Washington continued to show the B’s no mercy, with a second goal from Ovechkin at 7:08, followed by another at 8:29 by Matt Bradley.

Down 4-0 less than nine minutes in, the Black & Gold again tried to turn the game around, replacing goalie Tim Thomas with Alex Auld. But Ovechkin made the score 5-0 with 4:29 left while Glen Metropolit was in the box for slashing.

The Capitals kept rolling, as Brooks Laich fired another shot past Auld at 18:43, off a pass from Viktor Kozlov, to put the home team up 6-0.

Thomas was back in goal for the B’s to start the second period.

With a power play goal by Wideman just 36 seconds in, off a pass from Marc Savard, the Black & Gold lost no time seeking to make amends for the first 20 minutes.

However, not content with their five-goal lead, Nicklas Backstrom, assisted by Ovechkin, took advantage of another B’s line change to make the score 7-1 at 7:50.

Shawn Thornton engaged Brashear in the later's second fight of the night right off the ensuing face-off, drawing two more five-minute fighting penalties.

All was calm until Brashear made the score 8-1 with a goal at 16:31.  But Boston’s Sturm brought his team’s tally up to two shortly after, with a goal about 30 seconds later, closing out the scoring for the period.

The Caps changed things up to begin the third, putting goalie Olaf Kolzig in net as Huet left the ice with back spasms.

Laich scored his second goal of the night, with another assist from Ovechkin, to give Washington a ninth goal with 17:57 left to play.

Auld once again replaced Thomas in goal about eight minutes into the final period.

With Chara in the box for slashing, Matt Bradley brought the Capitals to a grand total of 10 goals, making the final score 10-2, when he put one past Auld with only 1:45 left to play.

The Black & Gold look to regain their footing with a home game against the Florida Panthers tomorrow night.