Boston Bruins vs Washington Capitals Picks and Predictions December 23rd 2024

Bruins Look to Extend Unbeaten Streak Against Capitals

The Boston Bruins aim to secure their first five-game unbeaten streak of the season as they face the surging Washington Capitals on Monday night at TD Garden.

Bruins Building Momentum

The Boston Bruins (3-0-1 in their last four) are riding high after a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Morgan Geekie netted the game-winner with just 1:45 left in regulation, and captain Brad Marchand sealed the win with an empty-net goal.

Interim head coach Joe Sacco has guided the Bruins to a 10-4-1 record since taking over, and he sees Monday’s game as a critical test against a strong Capitals squad.

“It’s a good opportunity for our group to see where we stack up with some of the better teams,” Sacco said. “We want to go into the break feeling good about our game.”

Boston’s power play remains a concern, ranked second-to-last in the NHL at 13.2 percent. However, the unit came through on Saturday, providing a timely goal during the win over Buffalo.

Marchand has been a key contributor during the Bruins’ recent success, extending his point streak to nine games.

“We’ve got one more game to stay dialed in before a nice break, so that’s at the top of our list right now,” Geekie said.

Capitals Keep Rolling

The Washington Capitals (23-6-3) hold the NHL’s best point percentage (.727) and are tied with Winnipeg for the most wins in the league. Washington is also 7-2-1 in its last 10 games and comes into Boston fresh off a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

Aliaksei Protas led the way for the Capitals with two goals, while Jakub Vrana scored for the second straight game. Protas has now tied his career-high 29 points in just 33 games, a significant improvement from the 78 games it took him last season to reach the same total.

“Not the game we wanted in terms of quality, but we found a way to win,” Protas said. “Everybody’s working together. We’ve got a great team.”

Washington has excelled defensively, holding opponents to two or fewer goals in seven of their last nine games. The Capitals are 16-1-1 this season when achieving that mark.

“If you (defend) at a high level, you give yourself a chance to win no matter how many goals you’re scoring,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery.

Star forward Alex Ovechkin remains sidelined with a left fibula fracture but is expected to return after the holiday break. Ovechkin, who scored 15 goals in 18 games before his injury, practiced in full last Friday.

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Key Matchup

The Bruins’ defensive discipline will be tested by Washington’s deep lineup, especially with Protas and Vrana in fine form. Meanwhile, Boston will need another strong showing from Marchand and their improving power play to break through a Capitals defense that has been stingy in recent games.

Both teams enter the matchup on hot streaks, making this a compelling battle between two of the NHL’s most consistent clubs this season.