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Friday 13 december 2019

Caps beat Bruins in showdown between NHL’s top two teams

By STEPHEN WHYNO “I kind of knew it, though, as
AP Hockey Writer soon as I saw the replay,”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tom DeBrusk said. “It was one of
Wilson and Zdeno Chara those things where it had
traded punches, the Wash- no effect on the play, but
ington Capitals and Boston obviously it’s not a goal.”
Bruins exchanged scoring Oshie, who had just one
chances and goals and a goal in his previous 10
showdown between the games, made the most
NHL’s top two teams more of nothing but empty ice
than lived up to its billing. around him to score off his
T.J. Oshie scored twice in own rebound on the power
under four minutes and play early in the second.
John Carlson got the go- Soon after, he turned Bru-
ahead goal in the third to ins defenseman Connor
extend Washington’s long- Clifton into a human pylon
standing domination of and beat Jaroslav Halak
Boston with a 3-2 victory with a backhander for a
Wednesday night in a thrill- highlight-reel goal.
ing back-and-forth game “It felt pretty lucky for the
between two hockey puck to squeak through
heavyweights. there,” Oshie said. “You
“Both teams were flying just try to put it upstairs with
around, going that extra Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) celebrates his goal during the second period of an a couple sticks on you so
step to hit someone all the NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, in Washington. This was happy it went in.
time,” Carlson said. “It was Oshie’s second goal of the night. Kuraly and Carlson traded
a fun game. It was fun to Associated Press goals, and these two rivals
play in. Still not playoffs, but The Capitals have won 16 of These teams entered with there. It was a challenge traded shoves and un-
it was a nice way to get into their past 17 games against the most points in the for us.” pleasantries plenty before
it after the performance we the Bruins. It’s a stretch that league, Capitals captain After all the talk about this the final buzzer. They meet
had on Monday.” dates to December 2014 Alex Ovechkin trailed only being a mid-December again two days before
Each of these teams laid an during which Boston won David Pastrnak in the goal- measuring stick for a cou- Christmas.
egg in a loss Monday night, only a close game last Su- scoring race, the Bruins are ple of perennial playoff CANADIENS 3, SENATORS 2,
but the Capitals avoided per Bowl Sunday. coming off another trip to contenders, the skill level OT
the slide currently befall- “These last couple years has the Stanley Cup Final and matched the hype. MONTREAL (AP) — Ben
ing the Bruins. Boston has been a grind,” said Capitals Washington won its first title Pastrnak ripped a per- Chiarot scored in over-
lost four in a row with three goaltender Braden Holt- in 2018. fect shot over Braden time and Cayden Primeau
of those defeats coming in by, who made 30 saves. “It’s always fun to play Holtby’s left shoulder mid- made 35 saves for his first
regulation. “They have a tough team (when) the two best teams way through the first for NHL victory in Montreal’s
“We’ve got to keep going,” to play against. Our team right now in the league his league-best 26th of decision over Ottawa.
Chara said. “I think it’s easy usually plays better against play against each other,” the season. It looked like Chiarot scored 1:11 into the
to get frustrated. We real- teams like that, teams that Ovechkin said. “You can the Bruins had a two-goal extra period on a 2-on-1
ize it was obviously a good work hard, play an honest, see how tough the game lead on a Patrice Bergeron with Max Domi.
hockey team we played hard game structurally. It’s was. We play hard, they power-play goal, but Capi- Nick Cousins and Tomas
tonight. It was a good fun for us to play in those play hard. It’s always nice tals coach Todd Reirden Tatar scored in regulation
hockey game. We did a games.” to get two points. We knew challenged for offside and for the Canadiens. They im-
lot of things well. We’ve just This one was supposed to it’s not going to be easy video review showed Jake proved to 15-11-6, winning
got to continue to perform be more fun than a typi- game because they have DeBrusk was into the zone for the third straight time af-
and keep getting better.” cal regular-season game. a very good team out just before the puck. ter losing four of five.q

Retired goalie Tim Thomas details brain damage from hockey

By STEPHEN WHYNO and the other third was was all worth it.
AP Hockey Writer getting less than 50%. The “It taught me a value for
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- 45-year-old said it took sig- life and a value for my
mer NHL goaltender Tim nificant time and help to brain that I’ve never had
Thomas said Thursday that even be able to commu- before,” Thomas said. “And
his post-concussion syn- nicate with former team- I have appreciation for ev-
drome symptoms were so mates and others. erything that I never had
severe that he couldn’t He’s still not close to nor- before. I don’t regret any-
make basic decisions and mal. thing.”
his brain wasn’t functioning “I wake up every day and Long considered reclusive,
well enough to even watch basically I have to reorder Former Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas speaks with members Thomas said he lived in
hockey. everything in my mind for of the media before being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of the woods for a couple of
In his first public appear- the first couple hours of Fame, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, in Washington. years because he couldn’t
ance since walking away the day and then make a Associated Press handle human interaction.
from the game, Thomas list and try to make some He got a chance to talk to
said a scan taken after he choices to get some stuff Thomas won the Stanley He played parts of 10 NHL some old teammates at a
retired showed that two- done,” Thomas said before Cup in 2011 with the Bos- seasons before retiring in game Wednesday nights
thirds of his brain were get- being inducted into the U.S. ton Bruins and was named 2014 but said his experienc- between the Bruins and
ting less than 5% blood flow Hockey Hall of Fame. playoff MVP. es made him question if it Washington Capitals.q