Bruins’ stars deliver in encouraging season-opening win

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Players the Bruins will need to count on this season had good nights as Boston got the Marco Sturm era and their 2025-26 season off to an encouraging start.

Behind a strong game by Jeremy Swayman and a goal and an assist by David Pastrnak, the Bruins beat the Capitals, 3-1, on Wednesday at Capital One Arena.

The Bruins return home for an immediate back-to-back when they host the Blackhawks on Thursday at TD Garden.

Alex Ovechkin came into the game with 897 career goals after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record last year. That had Capitals fans and their pregame television broadcast speculating on the possibility of a dramatic hat trick in the opener.

But he’ll have to wait for the milestone as Boston kept him off the scoreboard.

The Bruins won despite being outshot 34-21.

In a season with a lot of new things for Boston, the first goal of the season came from a familiar one. Pastrnak collected the puck midway between left circle and the blue line. He cycled out toward the point and flung a wrist shot through traffic toward the goal. Logan Thompson didn’t appear to see it until it bounced off him into the net.

Mason Lohrei was the unsung hero on the play. To start a breakout, he took a hit from Tom Wilson just inside his own blue line while outletting the puck. It led to the offensive zone possession that Pastrnak finished with 7:53 left in the second.

The concerns about the Bruins’ second line in the defensive zone appeared well-founded on Washington’s tying goal. Tom Wilson had far too much time to set up in front and snapped a shot past Swayman with 12:57 left.

But the Bruins responded quickly. John Carlson took a penalty 15 seconds after the Caps’ goal and Washington cleared the puck almost immediately. But that offered an opportunity for a reset on the rush and Boston took advantage.

From the left wing boards, Pastrnak fed Elias Lindholm, who was cutting through the slot. Lindholm shifted from forehand to backhand and flipped it by Thompson to make it 2-1 with 12:19 left.

The Bruins survived a couple of anxious moments with Washington’s goalie pulled, but Morgan Geekie scored an empty net goal with 58 seconds left to seal it.

Swayman made 34 saves for the Bruins, while Thompson stopped 18 for Washington.

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