Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals 5/15/21 - NHL Picks & Predictions

The Boston Bruins play Game 1 of their first round division series on the road Saturday against the Washington Capitals. Boston ended the regular season 33-16-7 with 73 points and was third in the East division. The Bruins were defeated by the Capitals 2-1 on Tuesday in the regular-season finale for both. Boston finished strong over the final stretch of the season winning six of its last nine.

Boston is scoring an average of 2.93 goals per game and allowing an average of 2.39 goals per game. Center Brad Marchand was the leading goal scorer for Boston during the regular season with 29 and also had team highs in assists with 40 and overall points with 69. In goal, Tuukka Rask is 15-5-2 with a goals-against average of 2.28 and save percentage of .913. Rask had two shutouts during the regular season.

The Washington Capitals finish the regular season 36-15-5 with 77 points. Washington was tied in points with first-place Pittsburgh but lost a tiebreaker in head-to-head play with the Penguins. Washington won each of its last two games and four of the last five with only a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers mixed in. The Capitals have won seven of their last 10.

Washington is scoring an average of 3.36 goals per game and allowing an average of 2.88 goals per game. The leading goal scorer during the regular season was Alex Ovechkin with 24, while Nicklas Backstrom was the leader in assists with 38 and in points with 53. In goal, Vitek Vanecek is 21-10-4 with a goals against average of 2.69 and save percentage of .908. Vanecek had two shutouts during the regular season.