Photo: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

The Washington Capitals fell to the Boston Bruins by a score of 3-2 in double overtime in Game 3 at TD Garden on Wednesday and trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov made 40 saves, including 17 in the first overtime period, in the overtime loss, his first career Stanley Cup Playoff start.

Capitals’ Round 1, Game 3 Lines

Photo: @Capitals

Forward Daniel Carr replaced Daniel Sprong in the lineup. Center Lars Eller did not play after leaving the second period of Game 2 with a lower-body injury. Forward T.J. Oshie played despite not participating in Wednesday’s morning skate. Goaltender Vitek Vanecek missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury and Craig Anderson was out due to body maintenance.

Pheonix Copley was Samsonov’s backup. Samsonov and center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who have not played since May 1 due to COVID-19 protocol, returned to the lineup. Forwards Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson flipped spots in the top-six. The Capitals became the second team in NHL history to start three different goalies in their first three Stanley Cup Playoff games (1986 Winnipeg Jets) and the fourth to play three goalies in the same series.

First Period

The Capitals led 4-2 in takeaways, 6-3 in blocked shots, and 13-12 in hits through 20 minutes.

The Bruins led 10-4 in shots and had four giveaways while the Capitals had five in the first.

Each team won 50% of the draws and failed to score on three power plays in the period.

Second Period

Center Nic Dowd left at 6:56 after blocking a shot below the knee in the lane but returned.

Ovechkin pinched in down low and picked the top right corner on Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask after getting a feed from forward Anthony Mantha from by the goal-line to open the scoring for the Capitals on the power-play 8:21 into the second. It marked Ovechkin’s 800th career NHL goal (regular season plus Stanley Cup Playoffs), including his 70th in the postseason, which tied Steve Yzerman for 17th all-time.

THAT’S OUR CAPTAIN! pic.twitter.com/ng5eHrH7Tz

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 19, 2021

Forward Taylor Hall spun around in front of the cage and roofed the puck over the blocker of Samsonov after getting a backhand feed from forward Craig Smith at the dot to tie it 56 seconds later.

Simply outrageous.#NHLBruins | @hallsy09 pic.twitter.com/o58BKNJMEN

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 19, 2021

After forward Garnet Hathaway stripped the puck from Bruins forward Nick Ritchie in the offensive zone, he threw it towards the net and Dowd tipped it down in front to take the lead for the Capitals with 1:45 left in the period. The primary assist marked Hathaway’s third point in two games and Dowd’s second goal of the series.

You simply cannot find a hotter line pic.twitter.com/69lYpPkSFG

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 20, 2021

The Capitals led 16-11 in second-period shots, 7-6 in takeaways, 32-28 in hits, 9-6 in blocked shots, had seven giveaways while the Bruins had eight, converted on one of their five power plays, and won 51% of the faceoffs in the first two periods.

The Bruins led 21-20 in shots and did not score on three power plays through 40 minutes.

Third Period

Marchand tipped captain Patrice Bergeron’s feed from the low slot out of mid-air to finish a triangular passing-play and tie it on a power play with 8:28 left in regulation.

ily @bmarch63 pic.twitter.com/IO9Hu4wuWV

— Marina Maher (@marinakmaher) May 20, 2021

The Capitals led 29-24 in shots, including 9-3 in the third period, 12-8 in takeaways, 46-42 in hits, 15-8 in blocked shots, had eight giveaways while the Bruins had 11, and won 54% of the faceoffs.

Each team went one-for-five on the power-play.

For the eighth time in the past 12 postseason meetings between the two teams, regulation would not be enough to get a winner. An NHL-record 12 straight Capitals-Bruins Stanley Cup Playoff games have been separated by just one goal.

This is the third time since 2017 the Capitals have gone to OT in their first three games of the playoffs.

Vs. Toronto in 2017
Vs. Columbus in 2018
Vs. Boston in 2021

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 20, 2021

Overtime

The Capitals led 15-11 in takeaways, 19-12 in blocked shots, had nine giveaways while the Bruins had 12, and won 52% of the draws through 80 minutes.

The Bruins led 41-34 in shots, including 17-5 in the first overtime, and 58-55 in hits in the first four periods.

Each team scored on one of five power play opportunities.

Double Overtime

Forward Craig Smith wrapped the puck around the net and tucked it past the left pad of Samsonov off of a turnover by the goaltender behind the goal to win it for the Bruins at 5:48.

DOUBLE OT WINNER FROM CRAIG SMITH!! 🐻 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/yeDVHt2anj

— NHL (@NHL) May 20, 2021

The Capitals led 3-2 in second-overtime shots, 15-11 in takeaways, 20-14 in blocked shots, had 10 giveaways while the Bruins had 12, and won 52% of the draws.

Some people won’t like the way Ovi absolutely torched Samsonov the moment the game ended, but when you’re a leader and you see people make that dumb of a mistake, you have to let them know how unacceptable it is.

Ovi was every Caps fan watching #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/nXoqlJva6n

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 20, 2021

The Bruins led 43-37 in shots and 60-57 in hits.

Each team went one-for-five on the man advantage.

Game 4 from TD Garden will take place on Friday. The puck will drop at 6:30 PM ET and action can be seen on NBC Sports Washington locally or NBCSN nationally.

By Harrison Brown