Alex Ovechkin’s final Washington home opener carried the weight of a farewell tour, but the Capitals captain was just as pleased to watch a new-look supporting cast take control against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Washington beat Pittsburgh 5-3 at Capital One Arena on Wednesday, turning a sellout of 18,347 into another loud chapter of the Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby rivalry. The Capitals improved to 2-1-0 through three games, while the Penguins moved to 2-2-0.
A final home-opening moment for Ovechkin
- Ovechkin announced Monday that the 2026-27 campaign will be his last in the NHL, putting added meaning behind his first home date of the season.
- The 41-year-old was introduced last during Washington’s pregame ceremony. His sons, Sergei, 8, and Ilya, 6, stood at the Zamboni entrance and introduced their father as the crowd rose.
- Fans answered with repeated chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” for the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, who entered the night with 929 career goals.
- Ovechkin called it a memorable evening and said the family moment will mean even more when his sons are older and can revisit it with him.
“First game of the year at home, lots of fans, it was special,” Ovechkin said.
The matchup was fitting for the occasion. Ovechkin, selected first overall in 2004, and Crosby, the first pick in 2005, met for the 101st time in the regular season and playoffs. Both are now in their 22nd NHL seasons.
Neither superstar registered a point, only the 11th time that has happened in their head-to-head history and the first since Feb. 23, 2021. Ovechkin praised Crosby’s durability and continuing influence.
“It’s consistency,” Ovechkin said. “We respect each other, and you can see he still does lots of great things out there.”
Washington’s depth wins the matchup
The Capitals did not need a goal from Ovechkin to put away their Metropolitan Division rival. Alex Tuch, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson combined for three goals and three assists, with Dubois producing a goal and an assist, Wilson scoring once and setting up two more, and Tuch adding a goal.
That line drew Crosby’s group for much of the night and controlled long stretches below the Pittsburgh goal line. Crosby was on the ice for Washington’s first four goals and finished at minus-4.
Anthony Beauvillier opened the scoring 23 seconds into the game after Ovechkin forced the turnover that created the chance. Ovechkin remains without a goal through three games, but he made an early contribution in a win built around four productive lines.
“Dubie’s line was so good tonight with Tuch and Willie,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “They created turnovers on the forecheck, put their defense under pressure and held onto pucks. They had multiple long offensive-zone shifts, and it was against 87. Winning that matchup consistently is a huge benefit for a team.”
Ovechkin saw the same thing from the bench.
“Dubie’s line, I thought, today was flying,” he said.
Ovechkin’s changing workload
Washington’s offseason additions of Tuch, Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner have given Carbery more options up front, and Ovechkin recognizes that some nights will call for a less central role from the captain.
He played 5:11 of Washington’s 7:13 on the power play Wednesday, but logged 8:54 at even strength. The coaching staff is also no longer using him for every second of every man advantage.
- When Nicholas Robertson took a delay-of-game penalty at 6:47 of the first period while Pittsburgh was already shorthanded, Washington received 44 seconds of 5-on-3 time.
- Ovechkin came off because the second power-play unit was due for its turn.
- That unit later struck at 3:55 of the third period, when Ryan Leonard scored from the left circle, the area commonly associated with Ovechkin’s one-timer, to make it 5-3.
Carbery said he addressed the planned reduction in Ovechkin’s workload during the offseason, before Ovechkin chose to return for one more year.
“I’m not going to say he wants to be coming off the ice,” Carbery said. “But he understands what we’re trying to accomplish as a team and the great players around him. When I explain why we’re doing it and how it helps the club, he’s all in. He’ll come off when I tell him.”
Ovechkin said Washington’s balance will matter over the 84-game regular season and, the Capitals hope, into the playoffs.
“It helps when one line doesn’t play well and another one steps up,” he said. “All four lines were solid today. Of course, there were a couple mistakes, but mistakes are going to happen. Good job by everybody.”
For Ovechkin, the home opener was a night to remember. For the Capitals, it was also a useful early indication that their season may not depend solely on the player who has defined the franchise for more than two decades.
“For us and for me personally, I’m taking it game by game,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a huge rivalry. We take two points, and that’s it.”
