Andy Moog stopped all 28 Washington shots Saturday night for his second shutout of the playoffs and Cam Neely and Craig Janney each collected a goal and an assist, leading the Boston Bruins to a 3-0 victory over the Capitals and a 2-0 lead in the Wales Conference final.
The triumph was Boston's eighth consecutive home victory in the playoffs.Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-seven series will be played Monday and Wednesday at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md.
Moog, who entered this post-season without a shutout in 50 previous playoff games, also blanked Montreal in Game 1 of the Adams Division final. Against the Capitals, he played steady position goaltending, controlled the rebounds and his defensemen spared him from having to make spectacular saves.
Bobby Carpenter scored the game's first goal at 3:23 of the second period, completing a rush from the Bruins' zone with a 30-foot wrist shot. Neely's ninth goal of the post-season provided a 2-0 lead at 2:56 of the third period. Janney connected on his second goal of the playoffs 3:07 later for a three-goal Boston advantage.
The Capitals, playing in their first-ever conference championship, came into the series having won seven of their previous eight games. In the final minutes of the game, the sellout crowd of 14,448 at Boston Garden began chanting "Sweep, sweep."
Washington was without star winger Dino Ciccarelli and defenseman Kevin Hatcher, who are both sidelined by knee injuries.