Schedule and 2011-12 Results
Regular Season Records: Boston 49-29-4=102pts, Washington 42-32-8=92pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 12 April: Washington loses at Boston, 1-goal-nil (OT)
Game 2 on Saturday, 14 April: Washington wins at Boston, 2-goals-1 (2OT)
Game 3 on Monday, 16 April: Boston wins at Washington, 4-goals-3
Game 4 on Thursday, 19 April: Boston loses at Washington, 2-goals-1
Game 5 on Saturday, 21 April: Washington wins at Boston, 4-goals-3
Game 6 on Sunday, 22 April: Boston wins at Washington, 4-goals-3 (OT)
Game 7 on Wednesday, 25 April: Washington wins at Boston, 2-goals-1 (OT)

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: Scoring the series-winning goal 2:57 into the first overtime period, the Washington Capitals visited and defeated the Boston Bruins 2-goals-1 for a 4-games-3 MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 victory. With the series 1156 win, the Washington Capitals improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record to 11-20 overall and 8-11 in the Preliminary round. With the series 1156 loss, the Boston Bruins see their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record fall to 44-46 overall and 10-10 in the Preliminary round. The 46 best-of-7 playoff series losses by the Boston Bruins are an MLB/NBA/NHL-worst. The 11 best-of-7 Preliminary-round series losses by the Washington Capitals tie those of the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils for an NBA/NHL-worst (New Jersey plays Game 7 of its 2012 NHL Preliminary-round series tomorrow night [26 April 2012]; a loss would give them the lead in this dubious category). The Boston Bruins have now suffered an MLB/NBA/NHL-worst 249 game losses in best-of-7 playoff series; next is the Detroit Red Wings with 248. The Washington Capitals have now suffered an MLB/NBA/NHL-worst 62 game losses in Preliminary-round best-of-7 playoff series; next is the Boston Bruins with 61. The New Jersey Devils have 59 (New Jersey plays Game 7 of its 2012 NHL Preliminary-round series tomorrow night [26 April 2012]; a loss would give them 60 in this dubious category). The Game 7 overtime goal was the second-ever by the Washington Capitals; their first was in series 504, at home against the Philadelphia Flyers when they scored 5:57 into the first overtime period of their 1988 NHL Preliminary round Game 7. The goal was the 17th best-of-7 NHL playoff series Game 7 overtime goal by a road team, and the first since series 1064 Game 7, when the Carolina Hurricanes scored 18:46 into the first overtime period of their final 2009 NHL Quarterfinals game ... in Boston against the Bruins. Series 1156 is the first best-of-7 NHL playoff series in which each of the seven games was decided by a single goal - an NHL first.

After Game 6: The Boston Bruins visited and defeated the Washington Capitals 4-goals-3 with a goal 3:17 into the first overtime period to knot MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 at 3-games-all. The Boston Bruins’ Game 7 record is 12-10 overall and 4-2 in the Preliminary round. The Washington Capitals’ Game 7 record is 2-7 overall and 2-5 in the Preliminary round. Upon losing Game 6 after having led a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2 (as is the case in series 1156), the Washington Capitals have a 0-4 Game 7 record.

After Game 5: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 back in Massachusetts for Game 5, the Washington Capitals visited and defeated the Boston Bruins 4-goals-3 for a 3-games-2 series 1156 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Washington Capitals have a 5-4 series record and a 5-4 Game 6 record (the five series wins resulted from five Game 6 wins in this situation; when losing Game 6 after having led a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Washington Capitals have a 0-4 Game 7 record). When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Boston Bruins have a 3-17 series record and a 9-11 Game 6 record (the last Bruins series win in this situation occurred in series 1136 – the 2011 NHL Finals). The Game 5 loss by the Boston Bruins was their 248th all-time in best-of-7 NHL playoff action, tying the Detroit Red Wings for the most such best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff game losses.

After Game 4: The Washington Capitals hosted and defeated the Boston Bruins 2-goals-1, thereby tying MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 16-13 with an active three-series winning streak, and a Game 5 record of 15-14, while the Washington Capitals have a series record of 2-7 with an active four-series losing streak, and a Game 5 record of 2-7 with an active four-Game 5 losing streak. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Washington Capitals have a 2-0 series record upon winning Game 5, and a 0-7 series record upon losing Game 5.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 having shifted to the District of Columbia, the Boston Bruins visited and defeated the Washington Capitals 4-goals-3 to take a 2-games-1 series lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 19-7 and a Game 4 record of 12-14. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Washington Capitals have a series record of 4-6 and a Game 4 record of 4-6.

After Game 2: The Washington Capitals visited and defeated the Boston Bruins 2-goals-1 on a goal 2:56 into the second overtime period. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 is thus now tied 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 21-12 and a Game 3 record of 16-17, while the Washington Capitals have a series record of 7-11 (and an active three-series losing streak) and a Game 3 record of 9-9.

After Game 1: Breaking a scoreless tie 1:18 into the first overtime period, the Boston Bruins hosted and bested the Washington Capitals 1-goal-nil to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Boston Bruins have a 31-13 series record and a 28-16 Game 2 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Washington Capitals have a 5-7 series record and a 6-6 Game 2 record. Series 1156 Game 1 featured the fourth-longest scoreless streak from the start of the game in best-of-7 format NHL Preliminary-round Game 1 history, and the longest such streak since series 911 Game 1 (in which the San Jose Sharks broke a scoreless tie 9:16 into the first overtime period to defeat the St. Louis Blues in San Jose in Game 1 of their 2004 NHL Preliminary round series).

Pre-series assessment: In the 2011-12 regular season, Boston finished ten points ahead of Washington. From 1939 through 2011, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by ten regular-season points, they have posted a 10-7 (.588) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1156 is the 31st best-of-7 playoff series for Washington, and the 90th for Boston. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series, Washington has a 10-20 series record, a 7-11 Preliminary-round series record, and an 18-12 Game 1 record, while Boston has a 44-45 series record, a 10-9 Preliminary-round series record, and a 44-45 Game 1 record. Series 1156 is the third best-of-7 meeting between Washington and Boston, with the teams splitting their first two such meetings (with the winner in each case going on to lose the NHL Finals in that playoff season).