Bruins End Road Losing Streak with Shootout Win Over Capitals

Charlie McAvoy scored twice to help Boston overcome a late deficit and win in a nine-round shootout.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 6:34am

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The Boston Bruins (37-23-6) defeated the Washington Capitals (33-27-8) 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday afternoon, ending their road losing streak that dated back to January 17. Charlie McAvoy scored twice in regulation to tie the game, and Fraser Minten scored the only goal in the nine-round shootout to seal the victory for the Bruins.

Why it matters

The Bruins had struggled on the road, going winless in their previous games away from home. This victory helps them regain some momentum and confidence as they push for a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference race.

The details

The Capitals opened the scoring, but McAvoy tied it twice with a pair of goals, including one from the point and another on a redirection in front of the net. The game went to a lengthy nine-round shootout, where Minten scored the decisive goal after both teams failed to score on their first 17 attempts. Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves and had a strong performance, though he allowed two low-danger goals.

  • The Bruins' last road win was on January 17.
  • The nine-round shootout is tied for the longest in the NHL this season.

The players

Charlie McAvoy

A defenseman for the Boston Bruins who scored two goals to help his team overcome a late deficit and win in a shootout.

Fraser Minten

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored the only goal in the nine-round shootout to seal the victory for his team.

Jeremy Swayman

The goaltender for the Boston Bruins who made 25 saves and had a 0.56 goals saved above expected performance.

Marco Sturm

An assistant coach for the Boston Bruins who discussed the team's struggles in shootouts and their efforts to improve in that area.

Washington Capitals

The opposing team that the Boston Bruins defeated in a shootout.

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What they’re saying

“Remembered seeing a couple videos of him maybe biting on a fake in the pre-scout, so I just went in and tried to watch for that, and it ended up working out.”

— Fraser Minten (NESN)

“Usually, it's fun. But with our record, I don't know, it gets me nervous sometimes. So, even today, that's something we've been addressing a little bit in the past during the break, trying to get better. We still got work to do.”

— Marco Sturm, Assistant Coach

“Again, that's an identity thing that they're good at. We saw a stat before the game; they're the No. 1 defensive generated offense in the league. We knew that was a strength of theirs, and again, they played to their strengths tonight and gave us a good battle.”

— Jeremy Swayman, Goaltender

“It was front foot, and I just was like, 'I'm shooting this thing.' So I got it off, and then you know, you just get lucky there. But I guess, maybe a friendly reminder to myself to just shoot the puck.”

— Charlie McAvoy, Defenseman

“You always need a driver. In the room, off the ice, on the ice. He has a little swagger now, especially after the Olympics. It's nice to see, because you need those drivers. Especially when they get rewarded, that's even better.”

— Marco Sturm, Assistant Coach

What’s next

The Bruins will look to continue their newfound road success when they take on the New Jersey Devils (33-31-2) on Monday night in Newark.

The takeaway

This victory helps the Bruins regain momentum and confidence as they push for a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference race, overcoming their recent road struggles and showing their ability to win close games that go to a lengthy shootout.