Two highs from Bruins' season-opening greasy win over Capitals & one frustrating low

Going into the 2025-26 season opener against the Washington Capitals, there were a lot of questions facing the Boston Bruins. It was a tough opener against a team that won 51 games last season and a team that has some serious offensive firepower.

For one night, the Bruins stars showed up and showed out, from Jeremy Swayman all the way out to the forwards. There are going to be a lot of nights where the Bruins are going to have to win ugly games, and that was the case in a 3-1 win over the Capitals at Capital One Arena for first-year coach Marco Sturm's first win as an NHL head coach.

You got a glimpse of what the season is going to be like on a nightly basis and the path toward victory. Here are two highs and one frustrating low from Boston's season-opening victory.

Bruins special teams were the highest of highs

Last year, the Bruins spent too much time in the penalty box on a nightly basis. That trend continued against Washington with five minor penalties, all in the first two periods, but the penalty kill was up to the challenge. The Capitals fired 11 shots at Jermey Swayman on the five man advantages, and he turned back all of them. The Capitals are loaded with talent on the power play, and good goaltending is a big part of killing penalties.

As for the Boston power play, they got just two chances, but the second one that came in the third period was the difference. Fifteen seconds after Tom Wilson tied the game for Washington, John Carlson was sent off holding on a questionable call. The Bruins will take it. David Pastrnak made a beautiful pass from near the wall to Elias Lindholm, and he was able to tuck a backhander by Capitals goalie Logan Thompson for a 2-1 lead. It was big for the power play to score and to answer the Wilson goal.

For the game, the Bruins' first line of Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and Pastrnak each had a goal, while Pastrnak had two assists and Lindholm and Geekie each had one.

Jeremy Swayman was the highest of highs

Several players need a bounce-back season, but nobody bigger than Swayman. After as bad a season as someone could have had last year, he is going to be the key to any success the Black and Gold have. He was up for the challenge in Game 1.

As mentioned above, Swayman made 11 saves on the Capitals' power plays, but he stopped 34 of the 35 shots that landed on the net. He was out challenging shots, and he was confident and controlling rebounds. A lot of the shots from distance were because of the system the Bruins played in front of him. It was a promising opener.

Breakdown on Tom Wilson goal was the lowest of lows

For nearly the entire night, the Bruins were solid in their defensive end and had few breakdowns, but their biggest one occurred in the third period and led to Wilson tying the game. On Washington's zone entry, Boston's five players on the ice lost track of Washington's tough guy, who had the puck come to him between the circles, and he beat Swayman with a shot under the crossbar.

It wasn't a perfect game, and there were turnovers, but Swayman made some big saves, and the Bruijs recovered to make a play. The biggest response in the game was the power play goal right after Wilson's goal. Things could have gone the other way, but the Bruins responded nicely to pick up a big road win.