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NHL on NBC: Boston, Washington tangle in Game 2

Ovi Seidenberg

The list of things Boston and Washington want to accomplish on Saturday is pretty simple.

For the Bruins, it’s get a win -- doesn’t matter how -- and put a 2-0 stranglehold on the series.

For the Caps, it’s score a goal -- also, doesn’t matter how -- and try to capture home ice advantage.

Those are the predominant storylines heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal, to be played at Boston’s TD Garden (3 p.m. ET, NBC). For the Bruins, Game 1 was a solid home-ice effort as they played tight defensively (allowing just 17 shots, all stopped by Tim Thomas), set a physical tone and made a concerted effort to silence Alexander Ovechkin.

For the Capitals...the loss actually wasn’t so bad.

“We know Boston is a good, physical team and we were ready to match their intensity and physical play,” forward Jay Beagle told Washington Post. “We didn’t win, but there’s no intimidation there.

“We know we can play with them.”

The Capitals were pleased after going into a tough environment, playing the defending Stanley Cup champs hard and taking them to overtime. While the lack of goalscoring is a problem -- “we just have to stay focused [on the offense],” Ovechkin said -- the team felt confident in its ability to trade punches with the Bruins.

“Even strength, it was an even battle both ways through the whole thing,” head coach Dale Hunter said. “Until an overtime goal, it was pretty much even at even strength. Power-play time, they did have some more scoring chances because they had more power-play time.

“But as far as even strength, it was pretty even out there.”

Game 2 Notes:

-- According to Japers’ Rink, Zdeno Chara was on for 90 percent of Ovechkin’s even strength ice time in Game 1. The most time Ovechkin was on the ice without Chara at even strength? Twenty-three seconds.

-- David Krejci didn’t practice Friday after being hit on the head with a pane of glass celebrating Chris Kelly’s OT winner, but said he felt fine and should be good to play on Saturday.

-- Boston out-shot Washington 26-7 lead in shots after 40 minutes in Game 1. Ovechkin was held to just one shot for the entire contest.

-- Both teams will be looking to get their power plays on track. The Caps went 2-for-24 to close out the regular season and 0-for-2 on Thursday. The Bruins went 2-for-21 down the stretch, and 0-for-4 in Game 1.