Capitals Fall to Bruins 3-2 in Shootout in Preseason Opener

Capitals Fall to Bruins 3-2 in Shootout in Preseason Opener

The Washington Capitals opened their 2026 preseason schedule with a competitive effort Sunday evening, but the Boston Bruins rallied late before defeating Washington 3-2 in a shootout at TD Garden.

Washington held two separate one-goal leads and received an excellent performance from goaltender Logan Thompson. Boston erased both deficits, including scoring the tying goal with just 1:43 remaining in regulation, before James Hagens delivered the only goal of the shootout.

The Capitals finished with a 32-30 advantage in shots and generated eight shots during overtime alone. However, Boston goaltender Michael DiPietro stopped 30 of 32 shots and all eight he faced in overtime, while Washington finished 0-for-7 on the power play.

Brodzinski Opens the Scoring

Washington struck first at 8:48 of the opening period.

Jonny Brodzinski finished a setup from Ivan Miroshnichenko and Josh Dunne to give the Capitals a 1-0 advantage. The goal came at even strength shortly after Washington had an opportunity with a two-man advantage.

The sequence was an encouraging one for a Capitals lineup featuring a combination of established NHL players, prospects and players competing for organizational depth roles. Brodzinski found open space and Miroshnichenko delivered the puck to him for the finish.

Washington was unable to take advantage of its early power-play opportunities, but Thompson protected the lead at the other end. He stopped all seven Boston shots during the first period and helped Washington carry its 1-0 advantage into the first intermission.

Bruins Answer on Power Play

Boston finally broke through at 15:32 of the second period.

Jake Schmaltz scored on the power play with Riley Duran recording the assist, tying the game at one. The goal came with Brodzinski in the penalty box for hooking.

The Bruins controlled more of the offensive opportunities during the second period, outshooting Washington 12-5. Thompson remained sharp despite the increased pressure and surrendered only the power-play goal.

Special teams became one of the defining aspects of the game. Washington received seven power-play opportunities and accumulated 11:16 of power-play time but could not convert. Boston finished 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

Miroshnichenko Puts Washington Back Ahead

Miroshnichenko continued his strong night early in the third period.

At 5:34, Miroshnichenko scored an unassisted even-strength goal to restore Washington’s lead at 2-1. After assisting on Brodzinski’s first-period goal, Miroshnichenko finished the night with a goal and an assist.

His performance was one of the more encouraging developments for Washington in its preseason opener. The 22-year-old winger entered training camp looking to strengthen his case for a larger NHL role and immediately made an offensive impact in the first exhibition game.

Washington generated 12 shots during the third period and appeared positioned to escape Boston with a victory.

The Bruins had one more push remaining.

McAvoy Ties It Late

With DiPietro pulled for an extra attacker, Boston tied the game at 18:17 of the third period.

Charlie McAvoy scored from the point with assists from Fraser Minten and Matthew Poitras, making it 2-2 with only 1:43 remaining. The goal followed a Boston offensive-zone faceoff victory and prevented Washington from closing out the game in regulation.

It was the second time Washington surrendered a lead Sunday. The Capitals nevertheless responded aggressively in overtime.

Washington dominated the shot total during the extra period, outshooting Boston 8-1. A Poitras hooking penalty at 1:44 also gave the Capitals another power-play opportunity, but DiPietro repeatedly denied Washington.

Four of his eight overtime saves came while Washington had the man advantage.

Neither team scored during the five-minute overtime period, sending the preseason opener to a shootout.

Hagens Ends It

Hagens supplied the deciding goal for Boston in the shootout.

He beat Thompson for the only successful attempt of the tiebreaker, while DiPietro prevented Washington from answering. Boston therefore secured the 3-2 preseason victory.

DiPietro earned the game’s first star after stopping 30 of Washington’s 32 shots. McAvoy was named the second star after scoring the late tying goal, while Thompson earned third-star honors.

Thompson Sharp in Preseason Debut

The final result should not overshadow Thompson’s performance.

Washington’s No. 1 goaltender played the entire game and stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced before the shootout. He posted a .933 save percentage and kept the Capitals in front through stretches in which Boston generated sustained pressure.

Thompson stopped seven shots in the first period, 11 of 12 in the second, nine of 10 in the third and Boston’s only shot during overtime.

For a veteran goaltender playing his first exhibition game of the season, it was a strong opening performance.

Special Teams Leave Room for Improvement

Washington’s biggest missed opportunity came on the power play.

The Capitals went 0-for-7 despite receiving more than 11 minutes of power-play time. Those opportunities included time at five-on-three and two opportunities at four-on-three.

Boston was considerably more efficient, going 1-for-6. Schmaltz’s second-period power-play goal accounted for the Bruins’ only special-teams goal.

Penalties were frequent on both sides. Washington was called for seven minor penalties totaling 14 minutes, while Boston took eight minors for 16 minutes.

By the Numbers

Washington held a 32-30 advantage in shots and went 0-for-7 on the power play. Boston finished 1-for-6. The Bruins held a narrow 26-24 advantage in faceoff wins, while Washington committed seven penalties and Boston eight.

The period-by-period shot totals also showed how the game shifted. Washington and Boston each recorded seven shots in the first period. Boston controlled the second 12-5, Washington responded with a 12-10 edge in the third and the Capitals dominated overtime 8-1.

That overtime performance makes the loss particularly frustrating. Washington generated enough opportunities to win before the shootout but could not solve DiPietro.

MSB Take

Preseason results are secondary to individual performances and evaluation, and the Capitals had several positives despite the 3-2 loss.

Thompson looked ready for the regular season. Miroshnichenko was noticeable offensively with a goal and an assist, while Brodzinski immediately contributed after joining the organization as a depth addition. Washington also controlled overtime and generated 32 shots despite using a lineup built partly around evaluation.

The major area requiring improvement is obvious. Going 0-for-7 on the power play gave Washington numerous chances to put the game away, particularly after receiving opportunities late in regulation and overtime.

Still, this was a productive preseason opener. Washington got Thompson plenty of work, saw several players competing for roles make an impact and played meaningful late-game situations, including penalty kills, overtime and a shootout.

The Bruins got the final goal that mattered, but for the Capitals, the preseason evaluation process is officially underway.