Marchand offensive outburst, Swayman’s solid outing and more: 3 reasons behind Boston Bruins' 4-1 win over Washington Capitals

The Boston Bruins pulled out a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday night at TD Garden. The Bruins scored three unanswered goals to take home the two points against the first-placed Capitals.

Justin Brazeau scored on the power play, with Elias Lindholm, Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand (EN) getting the tallies for Boston. Meanwhile, Jakub Vrana scored a power play goal of his own to get the Capitals on the board.

So, here’s a look at the three key reasons why the Boston Bruins beat the Washington Capitals on Monday night.

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Three key reasons why Boston Bruins won over Washington Capitals

#3 The Bruins dominated most of the game

The Boston Bruins had a dominant performance, controlling the play for most of the night. The most glaring statistic was the lopsided shot count. The B’s outshot the Caps 22-11, with Washington being unable to get more than four shots on goal in any period.

Moreover, the Bruins won 66% of the draws, outhitting the Caps 19-18, and also had the edge in blocked shots 17-11.

The numbers showed the Bruins’ dominance on Monday night, as they took advantage of a tired Capitals team playing its third game in four nights.

#2 Jeremy Swayman stars in win

Boston Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman cruised to a win against the Capitals. He stopped 10 of 11 shots, hardly getting tested. The lone blemish was the second-period goal that tied the scores before Elias Lindholm netted the game-winner at 13:41 in the third.

Despite not having an overly busy night, Swayman kept the Bruins in the game, buying them enough time to score the winner.

The performance was another strong outing for Swayman who has allowed three goals or less in four starts since getting lit up for eight goals against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 10.

#1 Brad Marchand lifted Bruins after Pastrnak injury

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand rose to the occasion, scoring a goal and adding two assists to lead the Bruins past the Capitals.

For Marchand, it was a welcome outburst, as the Bruins’ offense has sputtered off late. Marchand has seven points in his last five games, providing the Bruins with much-needed offensive support.

Monday night’s performance was crucial, as sniper David Pastrnak left midway through the second period, playing just nine minutes. The following clip shows what could have been the precise moment of Pastrnak’s injury:

Nevertheless, Marchand’s leadership was critical in helping the Bruins get past the Capitals. With the Christmas break on the horizon, the layoff could help Pastrnak and the Bruins heal in time for their next matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.