Bruins Shut Down Caps, Stay Unbeaten

Robbie Ftorek is undefeated after three games as the Boston Bruin coach, and he knows exactly what that’s worth in the scheme of a long NHL season.

“It beats being 2-1,” he said Monday after the Bruins beat the Washington Capitals, 4-0, in Boston. “Right now, I’m thinking about Minnesota on Wednesday.”

Joe Thornton had a goal and two assists, and Byron Dafoe stopped 22 shots for his 23rd career shutout and 100th win in Boston. Martin Lapointe had a goal and an assist, and Brian Rolston had two assists for Boston, which has its best start since 1994-95--four coaches ago.

“It’s been a tough two years,” Dafoe said of the Bruins’ first back-to-back playoff absences since Bobby Orr was a rookie. “We’ve got a new coach and a new team. We’re starting over.”

Phoenix 2, Calgary 1--Shane Doan scored a power-play goal 28 seconds into overtime as the Coyotes won at Calgary.

Doan deflected a slap shot by Teppo Numminen from the blue line past Calgary goaltender Roman Turek.

Calgary’s Rob Niedermayer had been called for tripping with 1:13 left in the third period.

Columbus 2, Philadelphia 2--Jan Hlavac scored in the third period on a shot that ricocheted off the skates of two Blue Jacket defenders in a tie at Columbus, Ohio.

The Flyers trailed by two goals in the final period before tying the game. Philadelphia rallied from a two-goal deficit to salvage a 3-3 tie against Columbus Saturday night.

Boston’s Bill Guerin was suspended for three games by the NHL for hitting the Atlanta Thrashers’ Patrik Stefan in the head with his stick last week. Guerin will forfeit more than $78,000 in salary. . . . Hall of famer Darryl Sittler’s wife, Wendy, died of colon cancer. She was 53.