Oct. 2 vs. Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena
Time: 7:00 p.m.
TV: MNMT
Radio: 106.7 THE FAN/Caps Radio 24/7
Boston Bruins (2-1-1)
Washington Capitals (4-0-0)
The Boston Bruins come to the District on Thursday night to supply the opposition for Washington’s first preseason game at Capital One Arena in 2025. The Caps played a previous exhibition “home” game in Hershey, Pa. a week ago.
Thursday’s game against Boston is expected to mark the preseason debut of Caps captain Alex Ovechkin and defenseman Martin Fehervary. Ovechkin missed the first half of training camp with a lower body injury and Fehervary underwent knee surgery in April and after rehabbing over the summer, he has gradually worked his way back to game action.
Aside from Ovechkin and Fehervary, Thursday’s Washington lineup is dotted with young prospects heading into their first full professional seasons.
Most recently, the Caps took a 4-3 decision from the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Tuesday night, another game in which they never trailed. Washington has played 245 minutes of preseason hockey, and it has trailed for only 31 seconds of that time, all of it in the first period of its preseason opener against the Bruins in Boston on Sept. 21.
The Caps beat Boston 5-2 in that Sunday matinee a week and a half ago. With three different goaltenders earning the four preseason victories, Washington has maintained its unblemished preseason record into its final two exhibition games, rematches against the B’s and the Jackets, respectively.
And speaking of rematches, the Bruins will be back in town in less than a week. They’re also the Caps’ opponent for Washington’s season opener on Oct. 8.
In Tuesday’s victory over the Jackets in Columbus, Logan Thompson stopped 36 of 39 shots in his first full-game outing of the preseason. Thompson quelled a few Columbus uprisings – especially early in the game – with some critical stops, and he looked sharp from the outset.
“That’s a good team over there, skilled,” says Thompson of the Jackets. I knew coming in they were going to take some shots, and I was just looking forward to the challenge. Obviously, you know these games don’t count in the standings. But you knew it was going to be a tough game, overall just a positive result.”
Both John Carlson and Tom Wilson made their own 2025 preseason debuts in Columbus, and both were near midseason form against what was a highly representative NHL roster for the Jackets. Carlson skated a team-high 24:01 on the night; his longest shift of the game was his last one. During an extended stretch of 5-on-6 hockey in the Washington end – and soon after helping the Caps kill a penalty to preserve a 4-3 lead – Carlson remained on the ice for 2:01, until only a dozen seconds remained in the game. He played 9:02 in the third period.
Wilson had a Gordie Howe hat trick before the end of the second period. He assisted on Connor McMichael’s first-period goal, then scored a goal of his own on the forecheck late in the second. Seconds after scoring, Wilson came to the aid of linemate Ivan Miroshnichenko, scrapping with Columbus defenseman Erik Gudbranson after he ran Miroshnichenko into the end boards from behind.
Like Carlson, Wilson’s last shift was his longest. After being parked in the penalty box for 17 minutes, he took only three shifts in the third, all in the final seven minutes. Wilson’s first shift of the third came near the 13-minute mark, seconds after the Jackets pulled to within a goal, and at the beginning of a Columbus power play. He ate up 1:57 on his final shift, also retiring for the night with a dozen seconds left. Wilson played 4:01 of the final 7:03 of Tuesday’s game.
“Solid,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery of Carlson and Wilson’s first preseason action. “They got what they needed to out of tonight. John looked real good, efficient, good with the puck. Willie, same thing. It looked like he got up and running and was doing all the typical things that he needs to do to be successful.”
The Caps took Wednesday off, and Thursday’s game group will reconvene at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for a morning skate ahead of the game against Boston. The non-game group – which still numbers in the teens at this late stage of camp – will take the ice later in the morning.
Washington made one transaction on the off day, loaning goaltender Garin Bjorklund – who showed himself well in playing the back half of the preseason opener in Boston, stopping all 15 shots he faced in 31:15 in the crease – to AHL Hershey. With that move, the Capitals’ training camp roster numbers 38 (22 forwards, 13 defensemen and three goaltenders).
The deadline for submission of opening night rosters is 5 pm ET on Monday, and players who must clear waivers need to be placed on waivers by 2 pm Sunday in order to clear by 2 pm Monday.
Since dropping their preseason opener to the Capitals, the Bruins took one-goal road decisions over the Rangers and Flyers, respectively, before falling to Philly in a shootout on Monday. Boston finishes its own six-pack of preseason tilts with a Saturday afternoon game at home against the Rangers.
