Smith Gives Bruins Game 3 Win in Double OT

(Photo: Fred Khoury III/Icon Sportswire)

One of the issues this season as the playoffs have begun is how familiar the teams are with each other. They have seen each other for eight regular season games, and this means that both teams know all the guns in the other team’s arsenal and often have ways to negate them.

For the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals, not only have they just finished playing eight regulation games during the 56-game regular season, but they have seen each other frequently in past post seasons. Many of the players on both teams have been around for a few seasons and now the Capitals have Zdeno Chara wearing their sweater—and as Captain of the Bruins for 14 years, he’s a bit familiar with some of Boston’s moves.

As such it should not be surprising that these two teams know a lot about each other. They also have memories like elephants, have taken names and numbers more than once and are not afraid to throw a hit or five. Both teams have some exceptional players in their lineups and likewise they have their players who make the other team see red (and I’m not talking about the color of the Capital’s sweaters).  Brad Marchand for the Bruins and Tom Wilson for the Capitals have had a few “meet and greets” on the ice, especially as this round of the playoffs has gotten underway.

Seeding higher, the Capitals have home ice advantage for this series, and the first two games down in D.C. both went to overtime. Perhaps then it shouldn’t have been such a surprise when Wednesday night’s game wasn’t decided during regulation, though as the third period clock ticked under the ten-minute mark of time remaining it was certainly getting to be a nail biter for those pushing for a Bruins victory.

This is an example of the team that shows not only Boston’s depth and leadership but their understanding of what the they can do and the attributes of all the players in their room. There was no panic on the bench. Each line hopped over the boards and worked hard. Sure, everything wasn’t rose colored and perfect—but then no hockey game is. But the Bruins have shown their resiliency not only during this odd COVID-19 shortened season but in playoffs of the past.

In Game Two the Bruins were trailing by a goal with 2:49 remaining when trade deadline acquisition Taylor Hall showed why the Bruins brought him in, tying up that game. His determination forced the overtime on Monday night which saw Marchand send the teams back to their dressing rooms just 39 seconds after the puck was dropped in OT.

Likewise, it was Hall who showcased a highlight-reel worthy goal on Wednesday in response to the Capitals’ power play goal by Alex Ovechkin during the second period. Assisted by Craig Smith and Kevan Miller, Hall’s goal showed such skill that most watching the game couldn’t help but admire what he had done.

Even after Nic Dowd put Washington up towards the end of the second period, there was just a sense that Boston was going to come out and remind the Capitals that those in black and gold should never be underestimated. Indeed, Marchand knotted the game at 11:32 of the third period, while the team was on the power play. Perhaps a little poetic justice to the goal as it was Dowd who had been sent to the box for a high sticking infraction that gave the Bruins the man advantage.

Like many of the things the Bruins do, it wasn’t pretty, but it was indicative of their refusal to give up. Despite having tried twice to slip the puck passed Ilya Samsonov by parking to the left of Samsonov’s net, Marchand wasn’t able to get the biscuit in the net until the third time he got the puck. Not elegant like Hall’s, but the result was the same—a goal and a tie game.

Unlike the two previous games of this series, the game would remain tied through the first overtime, which was frustrating for the Bruins—who put enough rubber on Samsonov to give him a new set of tires for his car. Boston notched 17 shots on net in the first overtime, while the Capitals were only able to get five on Tuukka Rask. Of course, it was beginning to look like one of those periods in which the team that dominated in shots and possession would still somehow lose on a funky bounce, especially as the period continued. Let’s face it, the players put it all out there during the playoffs and they had already done so for three solid periods.

Eighty minutes wouldn’t be enough time to solve this one, as things went into double overtime. As the teams regrouped and returned to the ice for the second overtime period, the Capitals seemed to be a little more in control, but apparently Smith didn’t care about that. His contributions since slotting on the right wing along with Hall and David Krejci have shown that it doesn’t have to be a star player, but a player that compliments his line mates that matters. His confidence is there and he’s making plays. And that’s exactly what he did at 5:48 of the double overtime with a nifty unassisted wrap around that he squeaked behind Samsonov which gave the Bruins the win and the lead in the series.

There is little time for the Bruins to enjoy the win. There are still things that are trying to work on—with very little time in which to practice—before they will face off against the Capitals on Friday night. Who knows what surprises that game will bring?