Washington
Caps Drop Shootout Decision to B’s, 3-2 | Washington Capitals
For 65 minutes on Saturday afternoon, the Capital and the Boston Bruins played a honey of a competitive hockey game, but those 65 minutes didn’t settle the score. That was left to an anticlimactic shootout that threatened to stretch past sundown until Boston’s Fraser Minten finally became the only one of 18 shooters to find the back of the net in a dreary nine-round shootout. Minten’s marker in the skills competition lifted the B’s to their third win in as many meetings with Washington this season, 3-2.
Saturday afternoon’s game between the Caps and the Boston Bruins deserved a much better finish than the stultifying nine-round shootout in which several attempts were misses, either off the post or with the “shots” flubbed or muted to the point where it was difficult to tell whether the trigger was actually pulled or not.
Trying make up ground late in the season in the chase for the playoffs, the Caps desperately needed two points from Saturday’s game, ideally in regulation against one of the teams they’re trying to chase down. The Caps came close, but they couldn’t quite close it out.
“I think it’s a highly competitive game against a good hockey team,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “When you get into those games, it’s a fine line; there’s a few plays that could go either way on both sides. I thought we did enough good things to win that game.
“So, what would you say is the difference – other than the obvious one being the shootout – to win that game in regulation? Could have used one of those [late] power plays [in the third period], no question. But our penalty kill did a great job as well, so they had some opportunities there and we killed a 5-on-3. We don’t capitalize on our power plays, but I thought we had some good looks, too, that we just, we put ourselves in good spots, we just didn’t finish those opportunities on [Boston goaltender Jeremy] Swayman.”
The home team twice had a one-goal lead – the only leads the Caps enjoyed in the 185 minutes of hockey they played against Boston this season – and they had a pair of late power play opportunities with which they might have written themselves a better ending. Although the Caps picked up a point, they desperately needed two of them against a team they’ve been trying to chase down in the standings for weeks now.
For the third time in as many meetings this season, the Caps and Bruins played to a scoreless opening period on Saturday afternoon in DC. The two teams played a couple minutes of 4-on-4 hockey, and the Caps had the lone power play of the opening frame, a man advantage that produced three of Washington’s eight first-period shots at the Boston net.
Early in the second, the Caps finally forged the first lead they’ve managed against the B’s this season, courtesy of a Matt Roy right point drive through traffic at 1:15 of the second period.
The lead held up for just over 10 minutes, until Boston’s Charlie McAvoy delivered a center point clapper that found twine behind Logan Thompson at 11:57 of the middle period.
Unsurprisingly, the Caps and Bruins headed into the third period all even at 1-1 – again, for the third time in as many meetings this season – and it looked like another one of those games where we wait to see which team blinks first.
Last Saturday in Boston, the Caps blinked first. Today, it was Boston. The Bruins iced the puck, the Caps won the ensuing left dot draw in the Boston zone, and from the left point, Rasmus Sandin put a seeing eye shot right under the bar on the short side behind Swayman, restoring Washington’s one-goal lead at 3:12 of the third.
The Capitals, coming off a 2-1 comeback win over the white-hot Sabres in Buffalo on Thursday, still needed to navigate nearly 17 minutes to come away with a second straight win by that same score, and they couldn’t pull it off.
Although Washington’s penalty killing outfit – which had surrendered a power-play goal to the Bruins in each of the first two games between the two teams – successfully snuffed out a pair of Boston power plays early in the third, including 49 seconds worth of a two-man advantage, the Caps couldn’t close out the Bruins with that slim 2-1 lead.
Boston evened up the game with another goal originating from the point; this time it was Boston center Pavel Zacha filling in at the left point who took the shot that McAvoy deflected past Thompson for his second goal of the game at 10:09, squaring the score at 2-2.
Washington had a pair of late power plays with which to alter the course of the contest, and the second one looked as though it should have been a lengthy 5-on-3 for the Caps when the puck was clearly sailed over the glass for delay of game, but the linesman ruled the puck had been shot off the yellow plate at the bottom of the boards, and physics took care of the rest.
“I had like five different people, tell me 100% on both sides of it,” shrugs Washington winger Tom Wilson. “So, I haven’t seen it with my own eyes. The linesman was pretty sure, but I heard broadcast was pretty sure, and I heard our coaches say that it was straight out. So, I don’t know.”
It was a tough break for a Washington team that has been good with the 5-on-3 this season, though not so much with the 5-on-4. And after the Caps failed to click on the second of those opportunities, they had to kill off a carryover Boston power play, knocking out the first 75 seconds in regulation and killing off the remaining 45 seconds in the 4-on-3 overtime format.
And because there were no stoppages after the expiration of the penalty, the final 4:15 of overtime was played at 4-on-4; the two teams played 8 minutes and 15 seconds of 4-on-4 in Saturday’s game.
For the Caps, the bottom line of this game – and ultimately, their season series with Boston – comes down to the thinnest of margins. In the 185 minutes of hockey played between Washington and Boston this season, the Bruins have six points to show for their efforts while the Caps have just the single point they pulled today. And that’s despite the two teams playing a mere 82 seconds of those 185 minutes with a lead of more than a goal.
“We have two power plays at the end of the game,” says Wilson. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to score a goal there; it’s not good enough. We have the game on our stick, and we’re supposed to be the guys that can make it happen, and we don’t.
“So, that’s frustrating. We needed that. We needed the two points, so it’s a tough one.”
Crews are on the scene of a serious crash on I-95 South in Stafford, Virginia.
Virginia State Police confirmed the crash was fatal but has not yet confirmed how many fatalities there were.
All southbound lanes are closed at mile marker 146.
Traffic is being diverted to Route 1 at exit 148.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 and nbcwashington.com for updates.
Washington
Sounders FC, Starbucks and Washington Youth Soccer launch Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass to celebrate the next generation of soccer across the Evergreen State | Seattle Sounders
RENTON, WASH. – Sounders FC, in partnership with Starbucks and Washington Youth Soccer, today announced the launch of the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass, a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative designed to inspire the next generation of young athletes across the Evergreen State. As the sport reaches a defining moment across North America, the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass invites every registered Washington Youth Soccer athlete aged 18 and under to receive a complimentary ticket to select home matches this season, connecting young players and their families across Washington to the heart of Sounders FC matchdays and Pacific Northwest soccer culture.
More than a ticket initiative, the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass is rooted in a shared belief that soccer belongs to everyone who plays it. With over 90,000 registered Washington Youth Soccer athletes eligible for the program – which includes access to additional discounted tickets for friends and family members – the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass celebrates those that continue to shape the sport’s strong foundation across the state. Coming at a significant moment for soccer in the region, with Seattle hosting six matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ this summer, Sounders FC and its partners are joining together to invest in the players, families, clubs and communities that fuel the game year-round.
“The Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass is about recognizing that every young player across Washington is already part of the story of this club,” said Sounders FC President of Business Operations Hugh Weber. “The Sounders are not just Seattle’s club – it’s Washington’s soccer club. Many of the players who wear our crest today, including Jordan Morris, Paul Rothrock and Jackson Ragen, grew up playing in Washington Youth Soccer. Their journeys are proof that the connection between local soccer communities and Sounders FC is real, lasting and deeply rooted.”
The program is available for the Rave Green’s final 12 MLS regular-season and Leagues Cup home matches of the 2026 campaign, beginning with Seattle’s first contest after the 2026 FIFA World Cup break against archrival Portland Timbers on Thursday, July 16 (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM). Eligible Washington Youth Soccer athletes can access the offer through a **dedicated online portal** using their WYS Player ID.
With Seattle as its hometown, Starbucks is deeply rooted in communities across Washington and beyond. Starbucks serves as the initiative’s founding partner to make professional soccer more accessible for families throughout the season. A longtime Sounders FC partner, Starbucks joins the club in its commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for youth athletes and their families across Washington, reinforcing shared values of community, connection and access to the game.
“We are proud to partner with Sounders FC and Washington Youth Soccer to expand our support for youth soccer across our hometown of Seattle and communities across Washington,” said Starbucks Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Erin Silvoy. “At Starbucks, we believe sports are a powerful force for connection, that brings people together through shared rituals and moments of joy. By helping more youth experience soccer first-hand, we hope to inspire the next generation while supporting the athletes, coaches and families who make our communities stronger.”
Founded in 1961, Washington Youth Soccer is one of the region’s leading youth sports organizations, helping shape generations of players and families through recreational and competitive opportunities across the state for more than 60 years. Affiliated with U.S. Youth Soccer, U.S. Soccer and FIFA, Washington Youth Soccer works alongside nearly 200 member clubs and local associations to help grow and strengthen the game at every level, creating accessible pathways and enriching experiences for youth athletes and their families throughout Washington.
”We see this partnership as a catalyst to inspire the next generation of youth soccer players,” said Washington Youth Soccer Executive Director Roger Levesque. “There is something unique about attending a Sounders match at Lumen Field – the sights, sounds and world-class soccer all contribute to a goose bump-inducing experience. But the true inspiration comes from living the highs and lows of a match together, alongside family, friends and thousands of fans, who for 90 minutes, are all on the same team. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Sounders FC and Starbucks to bring this experience and the joy of soccer to the Washington Youth Soccer community.”
MLS is currently amid an extended break from play for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, with Seattle returning to action on Thursday, July 16 against the Portland Timbers on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM).
ABOUT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Born in 1974 and a member of Major League Soccer since 2009, Seattle Sounders FC is one of North America’s leading professional soccer organizations. The club has captured nine major trophies since its inaugural MLS season, and following its Leagues Cup victory in 2025, Seattle became the first team in U.S. soccer history to win every major competition (Concacaf Champions Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup). Since the club’s MLS debut, Sounders fans have set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight-consecutive seasons (2009-2016), routinely ranking in the global top 30 among all professional clubs and never finishing outside of MLS’ top three.
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to responsibly sourcing and roasting hi-quality arabica coffee. Today, with a global footprint of more than 41,000 company-operated and licensed coffeehouses and a growing presence in consumer-packaged goods, we are the world’s premier purveyor of specialty coffee. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at about.starbucks.com or www.starbucks.com.
ABOUT WASHINGTON YOUTH SOCCER
Washington Youth Soccer (WYS) is the largest youth sports organization in Washington State, serving more than 90,000 players through a network of over 200 member associations and clubs statewide. WYS is committed to fostering the physical, mental, and emotional growth of youth through the game of soccer by creating opportunities for players of all backgrounds and ability levels to learn, compete, and thrive. Through leagues, tournaments, player development programs, coaching education, community partnerships, and initiatives supported by the Washington Youth Soccer Foundation, WYS works to grow the game and create meaningful experiences for young athletes across Washington.
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