Playoff rookie Braden Holtby followed up a shaky outing with a superb one by making 44 saves, and Alexander Semin scored the go-ahead goal, helping the Capitals beat the Bruins 2-1 last night in Washington to tie the series at two games apiece.

Marcus Johansson put the puck past Tim Thomas less than 1 1/2 minutes after the opening faceoff, but Boston’s Rich Peverley tied it later in the first period. Semin put Washington ahead for good with 1:17 left in the second on a power-play goal, his second score of the series.

Game 5 is tomorrow in Boston.

Coyotes 3, B’hawks 2 (OT)

In Chicago, Mikkel Boedker scored in overtime for the second straight game and Phoenix beat the Blackhawks to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.

Boedker skated ahead of defenseman Nick Leddy and shoveled the puck under goalie Corey Crawford at 2:15 in the fourth straight game that has gone to an extra period. Game 5 is tomorrow night in Arizona.

The Blackhawks played without star right wing Marian Hossa, who was carried off on a stretcher in Game 3 after a shoulder-to-head hit from Raffi Torres.

Torres was suspended indefinitely Wednesday and was scheduled for a hearing with the league today.

Blues 2, Sharks 1

In San Jose, Brian Elliott made 24 saves, B.J. Crombeen and Andy McDonald scored and St. Louis won Game 4 to move one win away from the second round of the playoffs.

Patrik Berglund and David Perron each assisted on both goals for the Blues.