Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby at the Verizon Center on Thursday. (Photo by Clydorama)
Capitals 4, Bruins 3: It was a cold day for Boston sports fans. While the Red Sox were busy surrendering a nine-run lead to the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, across town at TD Garden, the Capitals pushed the reigning Stanley Cup champions to the verge of elimination. The Caps got ahead early, pushing a 2-0 lead into the second period, which included Jay Beagle’s first career playoff score. But the Bruins were able to sneak a pair of shots past Braden Holtby, who eventually finished with 34 saves on the day.
After another goal on either side, the game appeared headed toward the third overtime of the first-round series. But with 90 seconds to go in regulation, Troy Brouwer laced one past Boston goalie Tim Thomas to seal the win and give the Capitals a 3-2 lead as the series returns to the Verizon Center today at 3 p.m. Back-to-back games aren’t the easiest of tasks, but the Capitals are steeling themselves to end this series at home. “The one thing we don’t want to do is come back to Boston,” Beagle told the Post after yesterday’s game.
Nationals 3, Marlins 2: Not even another blown save by Brad Lidge could derail the Nationals continuing their season-opening hot streak. After another sparkling performance by Stephen Strasburg—one in which the kid with the reconstructed arm lowered his earned run average to 1.08—preserved the Nats’ 2-0 lead headed into the ninth inning, Lidge promptly walked the first batter he faced then served up an easy pitch that Miami left fielder Logan Morrison belted into the upper deck. And there was free baseball. But not for long, at least. With rainclouds approaching the D.C. area in the bottom of the 10th inning, Wilson Ramos reached on a single, then advanced to third base on a throwing error on what should have been an easy ground out off the bat of Adam LaRoche. Ian Desmond stepped up and delivered a sacrifice fly scoring Ramos for the win and pushing the Nats to 12-4. As for Lidge, Nationals manager Davey Johnson told the Post that even after the new acquisition’s latest blown save, he plans to continue platooning Lidge and Henry Rodriguez for save situations.
