Welcome to the Verizon Center and Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the visiting Boston Bruins and home standing Washington Capitals. The Bruins lead the series two games to one, and hope to grow their series lead tonight as the Capitals will be without the services of center Nicklas Backstrom, who is serving a one-game suspension for his match penalty at the conclusion of Game Three for cross-checking Bruins winger Rich Peverley up high.
We'll have live updates as events warrant throughout the game tonight.
FIRST PERIOD
1:22 - The Bruins neutral zone trap gives Washington a way too easy entry, and Marcus Johansson scores his first of the series to give the Caps an early 1-0 lead.
6:05 - Boston records seven consecutive shots following the Washington goal, including a couple of strong drives to the net by Tyler Seguin, who has been nearly invisible this series. It looks like the Caps are missing Backstromg as both Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton have attacking zone faceoff wins early in the game.
13:13 - A bad pinch by Dennis Wideman exposes John Erskine and Rich Peverley, who had Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell on an odd-man rush, gets one past Holtby to tie the game up.
17:22 - Peverley follows up on his goal with a too-hard slash on Jay Beagle's stick, breaking the twig while backchecking, and the Bruins will have to kill the first penalty of the night.
19:22 - The Bruins kill the penalty, allowing Washington no shots on goal and two offsides whistles.
20:00 - The period ends with a few big hits. Boston outshot Washington 14-3 in the period.
SECOND PERIOD
9:45 - Johnny Boychuk goes to the box for hooking Troy Brouwer and Washington gets its second chance on the power play of the game.
11:45 - Washington manages five shots on goal, but Boston kills the penalty to Boychuk.
17:53 - Patrice Bergeron heads to the penalty box after being called for a hook. The Capitals have been dominant over the Bruins since the last power play that transpired. The penalty will expire just before the end of the period.
18:43 - Capitals forward Alexander Semin nailed one top shelf on Tim Thomas and converted on the power play after Patrice Bergeron's hooking penalty. The Caps lead the game 2-1 with just over a minute to go in the period.
20:00 - Washington carried the momentum for the better part of the second period. Penalties really hurt the Bruins in the middle frame, and the Caps were able to earn a goal from the last one, as soft as the penalty might have been. The Capitals did not lose a game in regulation when they were winning heading into the third period, but Boston's goal differential has been absurd in that same period as well.
THIRD PERIOD
2:40 - The Bruins have started the third period with some fire, putting six shots on Braden Holtby before the Capitals were ever really able to get it into Boston's zone. A much different feeling than the end of the second period.
6:15 - B's are currently outshooting the Capitals 7-1, and are looking a little desperate as time starts to wind down. They still have more than half a period to get the equalizer, but they are throwing pucks at the net just to get in on net.
10:09 - The Bruins have their first chance on the power play after Mike Knuble was called for holding Johnny Boychuk. The B's power play hasn't been good, but this could be a way to jump start the rest of the period to try and get a tying goal.
18:54 - Bruins pull goaltender Tim Thomas to add the extra attacker. I'm not sure what they are trying to do at this point. They weren't even able to put a single shot on net in their one power play attempt they had this game. Putting the extra player on right now won't do much for them.
20:00 - Braden Holtby makes one final save on Patrice Bergeron for his 44th save of the game as the horn sounds. Caps reset the series, tying it 2-2 heading back in Boston on Saturday.