WASHINGTON With a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday night, the Washington Capitals moved a step closer to the postseason thanks to goals from John Carlson and Charlie Lindgren, who stopped all 16 shots that came his way. With 11.7 seconds left, Nic Dowd sealed the victory with an empty netter. Regardless of the NHL's other results, Washington would now return to the postseason with a win in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. If the Capitals advance, the New York Islanders' third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division would make them the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Trailing Florida by just one point in the standings, Boston still has the Atlantic Division championship on the line in the regular season finale against Ottawa at home on Tuesday night.

The Bruins had an opportunity to seal the deal by defeating the Caps, but they couldn't match the intensity of a team fighting for postseason survival. Washington's best example was Dylan Strome, who won the faceoff, held the puck and set up Carlson's score at the 12-minute mark. In the tight bubble, Strome is eager for his first NHL playoff experience with fans in the stands. So did Lindgren, who, like so many games in the closing stages, produced another outstanding performance when his side needed it most.

David Pastrnak, the Bruins' leading scorer with 47 goals, was repeatedly denied by Lindgren, who converted other good opportunities to maintain the lead, including three third-period saves in the final eight minutes by Andrew Peeke, Charlie McAvoy and Patrik Maroon. With 23 saves, including a sliding save on All-Star Tom Wilson in the second period and one on Alex Ovechkin on a penalty kill in the third, Jeremy Swayman was outstanding in goal for Boston.

The Capitals had to rely on youngster Vincent Iorio and call-up Dylan McIlrath due to the absence of two injured defensemen. They won the game 81 thanks to a 29-34 score skated by Carlson. After being taken down late in the second period by Bruins big forward Beck Malenstyn, they lost winger Beck Malenstyn to an upper-body injury.