For two games, Braden Holtby has matched him save for save.
Making just his second N.H.L. postseason appearance, Holtby stopped 43 shots Saturday to lead the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 victory over the host Boston Bruins. One game after the Bruins opened the playoffs with a single-overtime victory, Nicklas Backstrom scored 2 minutes 56 seconds into the second overtime to help the Capitals tie the defending Stanley Cup champions at one game apiece.
"There's not a lot of chances out there," Backstrom said. "This is how it's going to be, I think. For you, maybe it's boring; I don't know. But for us, it's fun."
Thomas made 37 saves for the Bruins, who earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference but now must win in Washington to advance to the second round. The Capitals will host Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 on Thursday before the series returns to Boston on April 21.
"I would say it's going to be a long series," Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin said. "For us, it was very important to win this game and get the series tied, and go back home and have home advantage to play against the Bruins."
Troy Brouwer opened the scoring for the Capitals in the second period, and Benoit Pouliot tied the game with 7:47 left in regulation.
Early in the second overtime, the Bruins won a face-off in their own zone but Washington's Marcus Johansson was the first to the puck behind the Boston net. He passed it to Backstrom at the left face-off circle, and he wristed it past Thomas on his stick side.
As soon as the puck hit the back of the net, Thomas quickly headed for the locker room while the Capitals congratulated one another in the same corner of the rink where Boston celebrated its Game 1 victory on Thursday.
Bruins Coach Claude Julien complained that his team was not winning the battles.
"The proof is the overtime goal," he said. "We win the draw; they outmuscle us to get the puck, they get a good second effort to get into the scoring area and score a goal."
BLUES 3, SHARKS 0 Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak combined for a shutout, and San Jose put itself in an early hole when Marc-Edouard Vlasic tapped the puck into his own net as host St. Louis evened the first-round series at a game apiece.
Vladimir Sobotka was credited with a goal on the first shot of the game after Vlasic's gaffe. David Backes and Andy McDonald also scored, and T. J. Oshie had two assists in the Blues' first playoff victory since 2004.
Halak's left leg was bent underneath his body early in second period after Blues defenseman Barret Jackman slid into him. Halak finished with 12 saves, and Elliott stopped 17 shots the rest of the way.
The Blues announced midway through the second period that Halak was expected to return, but he never made it back to the bench. Elliott was hindered at the end of the regular season by an undisclosed upper-body injury, but was the backup for Game 1.
Antti Niemi made 29 saves for the seventh-seeded Sharks, who were shut out in both regular-season meetings in St. Louis, with Halak and Elliott getting one apiece. The game turned feisty at the finish, with Blues defenseman Roman Polak and Sharks defenseman Justin Braun tangling after the final horn.
San Jose will host Game 3 on Monday and Game 4 on Thursday.
DANIEL SEDIN STAYS BEHIND Trailing by 2-0 in their Western Conference quarterfinal series with the eighth-seeded Kings, the Presidents' Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks traveled to Los Angeles without their star left wing Daniel Sedin, who has been sidelined with a concussion since March 21. The teams will meet for Game 3 on Sunday night.
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