Brazeau gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 1:21 of the first period. Parker Wotherspoon dumped the puck in and it bounced off the boards, then off Thompson’s pad and to Brazeau, who scored from in front of the crease.

Good starts are imperative for the Bruins if they want to compete against teams like the Washington Capitals. They got one on Tuesday, but they could not keep the foot on the accelerator for the full 60 minutes.

The Boston Bruins closed out 2024 with a 3-1 loss to the Capitals in Washington Tuesday afternoon. They played well, especially at 5-on-5, but they couldn’t solve a stingy Capitals defense, and their power play remained a disaster.