Bruins edged by Caps, 2-1 Bruins have lost four of their last five

In Boston, the Bruins’ recent troubles continued on Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. The loss was the fourth in five games for the Bruins.

Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves in the Caps win.

“It was a good game,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought we played a smart [first] period. I thought we defended well. Couple breakdowns, but for the most part defended pretty, pretty well. [We were] able to get a lead, we get a power-play goal, so there were some positives to come out of the first period.”

Washington moved to 28-20-6.

“It would have been disappointing to come into this building and not put [in the] effort we did,” Kuemper said. “We played unbelievable, and [TD Garden]’s probably the hardest building to win in this year, so that’s big for us.”

The Capitals took a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza on a strike from Nicklas Backstrom.

“It’s always important to get the first goal,” Backstrom said. “You need to score those goals [in] those situations, so it was a good start for us.”

Garnet Hathaway  pushed the advantage to 2-0 in the second period.

“They’re a good team in the neutral zone,” Hathaway said. “They defend quickly, so we’re trying to get a battle on the boards and get into the zone, and then attack their [defensemen]. … The puck squeaks out to me, and I’m in the slot, so like a lot of us are thinking, ‘Let’s shoot it.'”

Boston finally got on the board late in the second period on a marker from Nick Foligno  to make it 2-1.

“I thought our effort was good,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said after Boston’s first game since Feb. 1. “You expect it to be a little sloppy; it was sloppy in the first. We got better, as we expected to get better. We were really good in the second. I didn’t love the beginning of our third, but still, the effort’s there. The execution’s going to come.”

Boston dropped to 39-8-5.

“I don’t think we had a bad game,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. “We missed a couple opportunities, and if we capitalized, I think it’s a different game.”

Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves  in the Bruins loss.

“We have to simplify, especially after a break like that,” Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said. “I think that’s when you’re able to get your game back, and then you can make those pretty plays again.”