CAPITALS 2, BRUINS 1 (OT): Joel Ward netted the game-winner 2:57 into overtime as visiting Washington eliminated Boston in a thrilling Game 7.

Ward capitalized on a fortuitous rebound, sliding a backhand past Bruins netminder Tim Thomas to dethrone the defending Stanley Cup champions and send the Capitals to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the third time in four seasons.

The Capitals killed a key penalty late in the third period to send the contest to an extra frame. The Boston power play went 2-for-23 in the series.

Washington opened the scoring in the first period on a goal from Matt Hendricks, who redirected a John Carlson shot past Thomas at 11:23 for his first point of the postseason.

Tyler Seguin, who scored the overtime winner in Game 6, equalized for Boston in the second period. The second-year forward bolted for a loose puck on an initial save by Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby and jousted it into the net before getting mauled in the Washington crease.

Holtby made 31 saves to earn his fourth career playoff victory. Thomas stopped 25 shots in defeat for the Bruins, who fail to make it past the opening round for the first time since 2008.

GAME NOTEBOOK: All seven games of the series were decided by one goal for the first time in NHL history. … Wednesday night's finale was the fourth overtime game in the series. ... With the Bruins joining the Vancouver Canucks on the sidelines, neither of last year's Stanley Cup finalists advanced to round two. In addition, the last four Stanley Cup-winning teams - Boston, Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh - were all knocked out in the first round.