The Bruins opened their preseason Sunday night with a 3-2 shootout win over the Capitals.
The Bruins' top players did not travel to Washington, with the team instead focusing on its depth players and prospects this early in the preseason.
Here are five (really six) thoughts from the game:
1. Jake DeBrusk scored the Bruins' first goal of the preseason and the game-winning shootout goal. His regulation goal tied the game at 1-1 midway through the first period. DeBrusk did some good work wheeling through the zone before throwing a puck towards the net, then wound up following up a Connor Clifton chance and burying the rebound.
For a player looking for a fresh start after a rough 2020-21 season -- DeBrusk said on Saturday he's "pretty much forgot my whole career" -- it had to feel good to see one go in early, even if it is just preseason.
DeBrusk looked pretty active and engaged throughout the game. He nearly scored a second goal late in the third period when he drove to the net on a three-on-three rush and took a pass from Erik Haula right in front, but Vitek Vanecek made the point-blank save. DeBrusk then beat Vanecek glove-side for the shootout winner.
"Well it's important, I think, for him," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said of DeBrusk. "I think for him, when he produces, he always feels better about himself. He's around the puck. The way he scored, going to the net, I think those are good, positive signs for him. He's been with Haula in training camp. They really seemed to mesh again today. That's a good thing for us if they can play well together, find some chemistry."
2. Speaking of DeBrusk's new linemate, Haula, he scored the Bruins' second goal of the game. Haula executed an offensive-zone set play perfectly, winning a faceoff cleanly back to the point and then going to the front to tip in a shot from John Moore after Jakub Zboril had moved the puck left-to-right.
Haula can play center or wing, but is currently penciled in as the No. 3 center. He has said he's more comfortable at center, and he certainly looked it Sunday. He won 17 of 24 faceoffs on the day, and has been a 54.5% faceoff man over the last two seasons.
Like DeBrusk, Haula also scored in the shootout on a nifty shot over Vanecek's glove.
"He's good in the circle. Obviously led to a goal, the faceoff win," Cassidy said of Haula. "He's on pucks. He was very engaged in the game. Obviously the shootout, it's nice when those guys can finish like that. Especially with their speed, they'll get some breakaways this year, both him and Jake. I just think all around it was a good night for him. … Good on the PK as well. Basically played in every facet."
3. The third member of that line -- the Bruins' de facto top line with most of their top players not on the trip -- was Jesper Froden, who also skated there during Saturday's practice. Nick Foligno figures to ultimately slot in there, but the Bruins have been giving Froden reps with NHL regulars to see how he looks with them.
The early returns are that Froden doesn't look out of place at all. The Bruins signed the right wing out of the Swedish Hockey League -- the second-best European pro league behind the KHL -- this summer. At 27 years old, he is not exactly a prospect. He clearly looked to be ahead of most of the Bruins' prospects at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has said he can see Froden helping at the NHL level this season, while Froden has also said that his goal is to be playing in the NHL. It may not happen right away, and some AHL time to help Froden adapt to the North American rink and game could certainly be a good thing, but don't be surprised if Froden ends up in a position where he's the first call-up if the Bruins need a right wing.
4. The Bruins were getting pretty badly outshot through the first half of the game, which meant Jeremy Swayman saw plenty of work. After giving up a juicy rebound on the Capitals' game-opening goal, Swayman looked great the rest of the way.
During a first-period penalty kill, Swayman twice had to recover quickly to stop a grade-A rebound chance after making the initial save in traffic. He finished with 18 saves on 19 shots.
Expectations are obviously pretty high for Swayman after last year, and a strong preseason will only help both his confidence and the team's confidence in him as he begins his first full professional season.
Troy Grosenick took over for Swayman in the second half of the game and stopped seven of the eight shots he faced. His best stop was a pad save on a Joe Snively one-timer from the slot.
5. The Jakub Lauko-Oskar Steen-Fabian Lysell line was pretty fun to watch. These are probably the three forward prospects that are the most exciting for Bruins fans to watch right now.
Lauko and Steen are at a point in their careers where they're really pushing for NHL playing time. While they definitely have uphill battles to make the opening night roster, don't be surprised to see one or both get called up at some point. Lauko, in particular, was really buzzing Sunday, including a really nice toe-drag around Dylan McIlrath to create a scoring chance in the second and a shot off the post in overtime.
Lysell, meanwhile, was the Bruins' first-round pick this summer. He is expected to play for the Vancouver Giants in the WHL this season, but until then, he's certainly making the most of his training camp and preseason time.
He has shown a willingness to get inside and go to dirty areas in camp, and that continued Sunday with a couple chances from right in front of the net. Lysell has also gotten knocked off the puck a few times by bigger, stronger defenders, but the fact that he's willing to take them on and not just stay to the outside or shy away from contact is encouraging. His three shots on goals tied for the team-high with DeBrusk.
"He was around the puck, pulled it to space when he needed to. Attacked the front of the net, pushed back when he had to," Cassidy said of Lysell. "Made a heck of a play on the wall late to get it to the middle for a scoring chance. So, he did a lot of things well. Attacked, didn't look flustered, strong on his skates. A lot of good things for his first game. … I thought he did a real nice job."
Bonus thought: John Moore assisted on both Bruins goals and looked pretty good all game. It's easy to write Moore off because of all his injuries, and his contract is never going to look good, but if he can find his game, he should be able to provide the Bruins some solid veteran depth on the blue line.
They're not asking or expecting Moore to be an everyday top-six defenseman, but the Bruins know as well as anyone that you're going to need contributions from your seventh and eighth D at some point. Sunday was an encouraging start for Moore as he tries to show he can do that.
"He's a guy that's in a battle for playing time this year, so these games are important to him," Cassidy said of Moore. "Most veterans like that, it's more about sharpening your game, getting ready for opening night, but he's in a little bit different situation. He missed time, a lot of time, and he's in a battle for a spot, so these games are of more value. He's been very focused in practice, very business-like, and he was again tonight. He needs to be."
