The Boston Bruins kicked off their 2025-26 season with a frustrating 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at Capital One Arena. It was a game that promised fireworks, especially with Alex Ovechkin back in the lineup chasing history, but instead highlighted some early-season rust for the visitors from Beantown.
Indeed, the Capitals struck first, with Ovechkin notching his 892nd career goal just 2:15 into the first period on a wrister that beat Jeremy Swayman clean. The Bruins responded quickly, though; David Pastrnak tied it at 1-1 later in the frame with a slick deflection off a point shot. But Washington pulled ahead again before the intermission, thanks to a defensive lapse that left Pierre-Luc Dubois wide open in the slot.
Moving into the second, Boston mounted a comeback. Elias Lindholm scored his first as a Bruin on a power play, evening things at 2-2, and the crowd sensed momentum shifting. However, the Capitals' depth shone through—Hendrix Lapierre buried a rebound to regain the lead, and Tom Wilson added an empty-netter in the third after Charlie McAvoy's turnover sparked a breakaway. The Bruins clawed back one more with a late goal from Brad Marchand, but it wasn't enough. Swayman stopped 28 of 32 shots, while Charlie Lindgren earned the win with 29 saves.
This defeat comes right after the Bruins' preseason shootout loss to the Flyers, raising questions about their defensive structure under new coach Jim Montgomery's system. Ovechkin's return stabilized Washington's blue line, and with Martin Fehérváry debuting, they looked more cohesive than in recent years. For Boston, the bottom six needs tuning—rookie Matty Beniers showed flashes but coughed up possession twice.
Moreover, penalties hurt the Bruins, who went 1-for-4 on the power play while shorthanded thrice. It's only game one, yet the early signs point to a Metropolitan Division rivalry that's far from decided. As the season unfolds, how will Boston adjust to these growing pains?