Boston: Kevin Shattenkirk scored the winning goal 56 seconds after the Bruins tied it in the second period, as the NHL-leading Washington Capitals sent Boston to a season-ending 3-1 loss on Saturday that set up a potential first-round play-off match-up between the teams.
Backup Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves for the Capitals. Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams also scored to help Washington win for the 10th time in their last 11 games.
Bruins No. 2 goalie Anton Khudobin stopped 21 of 24 shots he faced in the first two periods before he was replaced by starter Tuukka Rask. The team said Khudobin wasn’t feeling well. Rask stopped all eight shots he faced in the third period.
Earlier, Ottawa beat the New York Rangers to reach 98 points with one game remaining and eliminate the possibility Boston could finish second in the Atlantic Division. That means the Bruins will start on the road, but they still have a chance to avoid Washington in the first round if they can stay ahead of Toronto. The Maple Leafs were to host Pittsburgh on Saturday night and Columbus on Sunday. If they get three points out of their last two games, they would pass Boston and finish third in the Atlantic.
Washington have already clinched home ice throughout the play-offs.
Ottawa beat New York 3-1 to wrap up second place in the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the play-offs.
The Senators’ post-season opponent remains unknown at this point, but they have the luxury of resting players for Sunday’s final regular-season game against the New York Islanders.
Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored, and Craig Anderson made 18 saves.
Mike Zibanejad scored for New York, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 30 shots. The Rangers have lost back-to-back games. They have earned the top wild-card spot and will face Montreal in the play-offs.