Boston’s Stars deliver in victory
What a difference a season makes.
In the 2024-25 campaign, when the Boston Bruins gave up a goal, it was often followed by another goal not long after, and the Black and Gold had a hard time regrouping.
In the first game of the 2025-26 season, the Bruins showed resiliency and fought their way to a narrow 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena.
Here are three takeaways from Boston’s gritty win:
Jeremy Swayman was nearly perfect
The 26-year-old netminder led the way with a total lights-out performance. Swayman made 35 saves, including 11 while on the penalty kill, for his first win of the season and it was the kind of performance Bruins fans have wanted to see from the No. 1 goaltender after inking his contract extension before the start of last season.
David Pastrnak was spectacular
The prolific goal scorer opened the scoring for Boston in the second period, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead. It was the second time in his career that he had scored the Black and Gold’s first goal of the season.
It was the type of goal where the puck had eyes and found its way home from Pastrnak. He showed off his quick release and precision accuracy as the puck weaved through a crowd of bodies en route to the back of the net. Pastrnak would add two primary assists for his first multi-point game of the season.
Boston didn’t collapse during adversity
With the B’s leading 1-0, Capitals forward Tom Wilson tied the game early in the third period. A fluky bounce and a blown defensive assignment led to Wilson burying the equalizer to ruin Swayman’s shutout.
Despite giving up the tying goal, the Bruins regrouped and capitalized on the man advantage less than a minute later.
With John Carlson in the box for holding on Morgan Geekie, Boston took advantage off the rush.
Pastrnak fed Elias Lindholm, who was cutting through the slot, and the 30-year-old center shifted from forehand to backhand to bury his first goal of the season, giving Boston a 2-1 lead.
Here are more notes from Boston’s opening-night victory:
— Geekie added an empty-net goal with 57.1 seconds remaining in regulation to secure the victory for the Black and Gold.
— Boston’s penalty kill was perfect in the win, killing off all five of Washington’s power plays, including an abbreviated 5-on-3 that lasted nearly a minute in the middle frame.
— The Bruins will host the Chicago Blackhawks for their home-opener on Thursday night. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on NESN.
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