John Carlson and Nic Dowd scored and Charlie Lindgren recorded a 16-save shutout as the Washington Capitals beat the visiting Boston Bruins 2-0 on Monday to remain in control of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The game-winning goal, at 12:00 in the first period, was Carlson's 10th of the season and fifth in the past 13 games. Carlson has recorded points in three straight contests.
Dowd added a late empty-netter for Washington (39-31-11, 89 points), which is tied on points with the Detroit Red Wings, one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and two points up on the Flyers for the second Eastern Conference wild card. The Capitals conclude the regular season on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Lindgren made eight stops in the third period en route to his sixth shutout of the season.
Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves while David Pastrnak had a team-high five shots for Boston (47-19-15, 109 points), which could have clinched first place in the Atlantic Division with two points. The Bruins, who are one point ahead of the Florida Panthers, finish on Tuesday at home against the Ottawa Senators.
Boston didn't record a shot on goal until the 11:36 mark, and Washington made it a 1-0 game only 24 seconds later when Carlson let go a one-timer from the blue line that slid through the slot and over Swayman's shoulder.
It remained a one-goal game deep into the third period. Lindgren made a key stop six minutes into the third, denying Jakub Lauko, who charged down the slot on a four-man rush.
Swayman followed suit just after the halfway mark of the third, following a two-on-one pass from Aliaksei Protas to Tom Wilson across his crease to stop a one-timer. About two minutes later, Boston's Morgan Geekie made a steal and fed Pastrnak for an open chance from the circle that Lindgren stopped.
The Bruins recorded just four shots in each of the first two periods.
Neither side had a power play until Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was called for tripping at 6:12 of the third, but the hosts managed just one shot over the following two minutes.
Washington's empty-net goal came as Dowd stole the puck from Boston captain Brad Marchand between the circles and tucked the puck home with 11.7 seconds left.
Washington forward Beck Malenstyn did not return for the third period after sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit from Boston's Trent Frederic.
More must-reads: