The Washington Capitals opened up their 2025 preseason schedule with a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday evening. The Capitals assembled a mixed roster of NHL veterans, AHL stars, and top prospects, with number-one goalie Logan Thompson playing half the game.
Sonny Milano starred early, scoring twice in his first taste of NHL action since November of last season. Hendrix Lapierre, who fed Milano for one of his goals, also potted one into Boston’s net. Bogdan Trineyev tipped the fourth goal home after a hardworking play down low by linemate Ivan Miroshnichenko.
Lapierre and Milano were involved again on the Capitals’ fifth goal, combining to set up prospect defenseman Ryan Chesley for a backdoor tap-in. The Capitals also won the practice shootout, with Lapierre being the only skater to convert.
Observations
- While it’s just the first game of the preseason, you can’t help but smile when Sonny Milano puts on a four-point performance like that after sitting out for so long. Two absolutely gorgeous goals, and he was effective on the forecheck as well, combining very nicely with Hendrix Lapierre. Milano is not only playing for a spot back on the Capitals’ roster this fall, but this is also the final year of his contract, so he has extra motivation to put together a great, comeback 2025-26 season.
- Lapierre was excellent the entire game, arguably the best player on the ice for either team. His legs were moving from the drop of the puck, and he looked fresh after getting his first real offseason since turning pro. Good to see him score so early into camp, as he really struggled to find the back of the net at the outset of last season.
- Lynden Lakovic made his NHL preseason debut and did not look out of place at all. By all reports, he is one of the early standouts at camp despite being just 18 years old and the team’s most recent first-round draft selection. I would imagine he gets one more preseason look and then the Capitals will have a decision to make. He can only play in the NHL or go back to the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors this year.
- Ryan Chesley picked up where he left off in Hershey, getting on the board in his NHL preseason debut. Chesley notched three points (1g, 2a) in four games for the Bears at the end of last season. He had some shaky moments defensively, but his offensive game is where he needed to grow most coming into last year, so it’s good to see him finding the scoresheet.
- The Boston Bruins played four of their NHL defensemen in this game and allowed four goals in the first period alone. Nikita Zadorov and Victor Soderstrom, veterans of 776 combined NHL games, took the brunt of the attack, each posting minus-3 ratings after the first 20 minutes had come off the clock.
- Ivan Miroshnichenko recorded a nice primary assist in his first preseason test since head coach Spencer Carbery called this year’s training camp “big” for the young Russian. He also threw a team-leading five hits, crunching the Boston defense on multiple forechecks.
- Logan Thompson was beaten by two perfectly-placed shots and otherwise looked like his normal self. Garin Bjorklund took over for him with just over 11 minutes remaining in the second period and shut the door from there, making several excellent stops. Bjorklund, who was also perfect in the shootout, was tremendous for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays last season, posting a 21-4-3 record with a .927 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average.
The Capitals will have Monday off and then two more days of regular training camp skates before heading to Hershey on Thursday for their second game of the preseason against the Philadelphia Flyers at Giant Center.
