Capitals

The Capitals Sure Have Missed Pierre-Luc Dubois

Emma Baccellieri — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:48:12 GMT

Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois could soon return to game action. (Nick Wass/AP)

The last week has seen the full range of these Capitals. Here is a team capable of fluid, seamless hockey, as it showed against the Devils and Canadiens, and here is a team capable of the complete opposite, as it showed in a fumbling loss to the Kings. And in both situations, as well as in every intermediate variation, here is a team who could be much improved by the presence of Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Washington may soon be in luck there. Dubois rejoined his teammates in a regular jersey for the duration of practice on Wednesday.

It was his first time doing so in nearly two weeks. The veteran center has missed the last five games with an unspecified illness and was able to return to the facility only in the last few days in a non-contact jersey. He remains on injured reserve. But his appearance at practice on Wednesday bodes well for a potential return in the Capitals’ next game on Saturday. (As does the fact that the team has already sent forward Jonny Brodzinski back down to AHL Hershey.) His recent absence has only underscored his value.

“When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best 200-foot centermen in the game,” said Capitals forward Tom Wilson. “I love playing with him.”

That 200-foot skillset has been sorely missed. Dubois is an essential component of this offense and part of the first unit on the power play. He’s also the best defensive center on this roster. For a team still grasping at consistency, with a number of young players and new pieces, Dubois can offer a critical steadying force.

“Obviously, a huge piece of the team,” Washington forward Boone Jenner said of Dubois after the first game without him. “When you lose him, you're losing a big presence up the middle that plays in every situation for us.”

Dubois had three points in the four games that he played before his illness. He’d entered training camp poised for a bounceback year after missing the majority of last season with injuries.

“This year, he came in, he was one of the best conditioned guys on the team,” said Wilson, a linemate of Dubois’. “I know he’s hungry. He wants to make some noise this year.”

Their line had been an early bright spot for the Capitals. With big offseason acquisition Alex Tuch flanking Dubois on the left and Wilson on the right, they offered a rare combination of size, dexterity and speed. All three players are 6’4”. Besides their height, they also share a certain versatility and vision, and they found chemistry together quickly. In their four games together, Tuch, Dubois and Wilson ranked higher in expected goals than any other line combination on the Capitals.

“I think we’re all kind of alike,” Tuch said of their line. “It’s nice playing with a lot of space out there. A lot of time and space. No one’s coming to mess with you.”

Dubois may or may not be slotted back in with Tuch and Wilson. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has shuffled his lines as the roster has navigated other injuries and illnesses over the last week: Recent games have seen him split up Tuch and Wilson. That may be simply a temporary measure. (Carbery said earlier this week that his staff has been looking at its line combinations one matchup at a time: “We’ve got to just try to find a way to piece it together a little bit and go with the hot hand.”) But regardless of who he plays with upon his return, Dubois should provide a dynamic, meaningful boost.

The Capitals hope that will extend to the power play. It has continued to be a problem for this group: Washington ranks 31st in the NHL for time spent in the offensive zone during the power play. Almost no other team spends this much time getting bogged down on the other end of the ice and struggling with entry passes.

“It’s got to get better,” Carbery said after the loss on Tuesday, which featured an especially frustrating power play in the third period. “We’ll continue to tinker around with personnel, and look at some different things, starting different units. But it has to get better.”

To that end, Washington assistant coach Ray Bennett spent extra time with the power play units at practice on Wednesday. That group could finally include Dubois.

Capitals Beat Devils, 4-2

The Associated Press — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 20:20:56 GMT

Nathan Howard/AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Leonard scored a highlight-reel goal and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Ilya Protas, Dylan Strome and Boone Jenner also scored and Vincent Desharnais had two assists for the Capitals, who have won back-to-back games.

Arsenal Gritsyuk and Timo Meier scored for the Devils, who dropped to 4-4-0 to open the season.

The Devils got on the board first roughly halfway through the first period, when Gritsyuk beat Logan Thompson through traffic at the end of New Jersey’s second power play of the period.

With 3:18 to go in the first, though, Leonard would even the score and change the momentum with his spectacular goal. In the final seconds of Washington’s power play, Leonard took the puck up ice himself, going coast to coast before beating Luke Hughes, cutting to the inside and deking out Jake Allen for his third goal of the season.

From there, the Capitals took over the game, starting with back-to-back goals in a span of 4 minutes, 46 seconds to open the second period. First, Protas buried a cross-zone feed from Alex Ovechkin to give Washington the 2-1 lead. Then, Strome finished off a passing play from Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou to put Washington up by two.

Later in the frame, Jenner tucked in a point drive that bounced to the front for his fourth goal in five games, extending the lead to 4-1 going into the third.

New Jersey pushed hard in the third and pulled within two late when Meier scored with 18.4 seconds to go in regulation, but otherwise, Thompson shut them down with 29 saves on 31 shots to secure the win for the Capitals.

Allen had 21 saves in the loss for New Jersey.

Up next

Capitals: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

Devils: Return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.

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The Ovechkin Farewell Tour Opens With a Capitals Loss to Carolina

Emma Baccellieri — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:47:20 GMT

Alex Ovechkin was applauded by Hurricanes fans during Tuesday's loss to Carolina. (Karl DeBlaker/AP)

RALEIGH, N.C. — For roughly 30 minutes on Tuesday, the Capitals showed they could apply pressure, dictate play and control the puck against the defending champion Hurricanes. And then came the rest of the game.

An undisciplined run led to a 4-2 loss for the Capitals. This was the beginning of the farewell tour for Alex Ovechkin: It was the first road game for the Washington captain since his announcement that he would retire at the end of the season and his final Capitals game in Raleigh for the regular season. Carolina fans recognized his last time in the building (for now) with a standing ovation early in the game. They left happy after Washington stumbled into a series of penalties and failed to protect an early lead.

“You’ve got to learn to manage those scenarios,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “And play winning hockey when the game’s on the line and when the temperature of the game gets raised.”

Washington outshot Carolina in the first period, 10-8. That did not last. Carolina outshot Washington for the rest of the game, 27-12.

“They started tilting the ice on us in the latter half of that second period and kind of continued in the third period,” said Capitals defenseman Justin Holl, who scored in his first game as a Capital after being recalled from AHL Hershey on Monday. “We just couldn’t find a way back.”

Consistently playing shorthanded made it harder for the team to find a rhythm. The penalty kill has been a relative strength for the Capitals. (“I think our PK has been solid all year,” said goalie Logan Thompson, who did just about everything he could facing a punishingly high shot volume. “Those guys have been balling out for me.”) But it has its limits. After successfully killing four consecutive penalties, Washington cracked early on its fifth and gave up the game-winning goal.

The Capitals’ penalties included a particularly maddening one by Ryan Leonard, who turned in an otherwise strong performance on Tuesday, including two assists. But he was benched after picking up a slashing penalty in the offensive zone with the game tied in the third period. Washington killed the penalty. Carbery didn't allow Leonard to see the ice again until the final seconds of the night.

“You just cannot take a frustrating penalty and slash a guy twice when the game’s on the line,” Carbery said. “It can’t happen.”

Tuesday also provided the first example of how opposing teams may fete the retiring Ovechkin. During a stoppage in the first period, Carolina displayed his career statistics on the video board. The crowd rose to its feet for an ovation; Hurricanes players tapped their sticks in recognition; Ovechkin dutifully waved. The 41-year-old has never been much for sentimentality, but he won't have much of a choice over the coming weeks and months. Some variation of this routine will repeat over and over as more arenas see him for the final time. Yet few of those cities will hold as many key memories for him as Raleigh.

Ovechkin has plenty of history in the building now known as the Lenovo Center. This is where the NHL held its 2004 entry draft, where a 19-year-old Ovechkin folded his massive frame into a small arena seat next to his parents, waiting for his name to be called first overall and for a new version of his life to start. It’s the arena where he scored for the first time on the road. (Asked if he remembered that particular goal, Ovechkin said no, then suddenly recalled the player who gave him the assist: Andrew Cassels, who spent only a few months playing alongside Ovechkin, and who's been retired from pro hockey for two full decades.) And it was home to dozens of fierce divisional battles. There is no road arena that has seen more Ovechkin goals than the Lenovo Center.

He did not add to that total on Tuesday. Away from the power play, his ice time remained fairly limited, with 10 minutes, 31 seconds on the ice at even strength. As much as the arena tribute and the standing ovation, this is part of the long, slow process of saying goodbye.

“Those days, you can’t go back,” Ovechkin said at morning skate, reflecting on his early appearances in the arena. “But the memories are still there.”

What We’ve Learned About the Caps Through Their First Five Games

Emma Baccellieri — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:42:05 GMT

New addition Alex Tuch has been one of the team's bright spots through five games. (Nick Wass/AP)

It’s been more than a week since the new-look Capitals (3-2) opened the season with a resounding win over Hurricanes. The four games since have been … somewhat choppier. Here’s what this group has shown so far.

This group has a far higher ceiling than last season …

These opening games have offered quite a bit for Caps fans to enjoy. The Alex Tuch–Pierre-Luc Dubois–Tom Wilson line has been a 200-foot marvel. Boone Jenner has made for a delightfully competent veteran presence on the fourth line. Vincent Desharnais has packed a punch on D. With these acquisitions, Washington added meaningful size, depth and speed, and that’s been clear from the jump.

“We all want to find our role right away, and I think we’ve done that,” said Jenner, who came to Washington in free agency this summer after playing 13 seasons in Columbus. “This room, the character that we have, I think everybody’s pulling the same way, and it makes it easy coming in.”

There have certainly been some real areas of frustration (read on for those), but at its best, this group has played like a legitimate contender, even if that has come only in fits and starts.

… but they still have plenty to clean up.

This much was obvious for anyone who caught a few minutes of Sunday’s third period against the Kraken. The loss ended up being a display of this group at its most uncoordinated — clumsy and inefficient, frequently giving away the puck, consistently playing from behind. “We’re just making too many mistakes,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said afterward. “A lot of mistakes with the puck. Poor decisions. We’ve just got to work on being a smarter team.” This was just one game. (Albeit one that proved exceptionally rough to watch.) But it did hint at some larger frustrations here.

The Capitals have been scoring above league average to begin the season. (Their shooting percentage is above the NHL average, too.) But they’ve done that despite struggling to get the puck in the offensive zone and keep it there: Washington ranks 30th in time spent in the o-zone.

“We’ll get it fixed,” Carbery said. “But it’s going to take some time, and guys have to learn.”

This defense needs Matt Roy (or Rasmus Sandin).

Washington has spent much of the season without its top defenseman: Matt Roy played the first two games of the season but has been sidelined since with a lower body injury — the Capitals placed him on injured reserve on Monday. That has proven to be a problem.

The defense has been shaky and uneven without him. Dylan McIlrath has not exactly inspired confidence as his replacement. (The penalty-prone veteran got scarcely five minutes of ice time in the loss against the Kraken on Sunday.) By moving Roy to the IR on Monday, the organization was able to recall a replacement from Hershey in Justin Holl, who could see the ice this week. But it’s hard to cover the absence of Roy, who remains day-to-day, though he’s been skating in a non-contact jersey.

Another defenseman this group is missing? Rasmus Sandin. He’s continuing to make his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in April. (Though it’s worth noting that he’s been skating for weeks and is said to be progressing well: “It’s very positive, how he looks right now,” Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said during training camp.) For all the Capitals’ depth at forward, they have precious little on their defense, and that’s been frustratingly clear this season.

Alex Tuch has made himself right at home.

None of the Capitals’ additions has looked quite so comfortable as quickly as Alex Tuch. “He's an extremely intelligent player, and he has a great stick,” Carbery said. “Because of his instincts, he can read what's about to happen.” He’s been an early scoring threat, leading the Capitals in goals with three, and has been a key contributor to both the power play and the penalty kill. He’s shown a knack for controlling play and positioning himself well. No forward on the roster has produced more expected goals.

“He puts himself in the right spots to create offense,” said linemate Tom Wilson.

Tuch was among the splashiest acquisitions of the offseason, coming to Washington from Buffalo in a sign-and-trade with an eight-year, $84 million deal back in June. So far, he’s backed it up.

The power play is a work in progress.

Certainly, there have been flashes of a cleaner, more fluid power play. But that hasn’t yielded much in the way of consistent results: The Capitals have started the season 2-for-17 on the man advantage. So far, they haven’t gotten anything from their most reliable threat here, Alex Ovechkin, who leads the roster in power play minutes as usual, even as his ice time has decreased at even strength.

These units are the responsibility of a new coach: Washington added power play specialist Ray Bennett to the staff this offseason.

“I’ve liked what Ray’s doing, and what he’s trying to implement,” Carbery said after Washington scored its first power play goal of the season last week. “Now, this is at the base level of building this thing, so we’re not getting ahead of ourselves. But we have seen baby steps.”

Like any baby steps, however, those have come with some face-plants.

Capitals Fall to Kraken, 5-3, Despite Ovechkin's First Goal

The Associated Press — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 01:35:00 GMT

Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season in Sunday's loss to the Kraken. (Nathan Howard/AP)

Jared McCann broke a tie with 5:27 left and the Seattle Kraken overcame NHL career leader Alex Ovechkin's first goal of the season to beat the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Sunday night.

Jordan Eberle, Frederick Gaudreau, Kaapo Kakko and Ryan Winterton also scored to help the Kraken improve to 4-2-0. Joey Daccord stopped 33 shots.

On the deciding goal, McCann cut to the middle and beat goalie Logan Thompson on a quick shot. Ryan Winterton iced it with 2:40 left.

Jordan Kyrou and Boone Jenner also scored for Washington as the Capitals dropped to 3-2-0. Thompson made 22 saves.

After back-to-back penalty kills, Seattle got off to a quick start, with Kakko sneaking in a rebound just 6:06 minutes into the game.

The Capitals responded with two goals in a 5:06 span. First, Kyrou buried a cross-ice feed from Cole Hutson for his first with Washington. Then, after a strong forecheck and forced turnover from brothers Aliaksei and Ilya Protas, Ovechkin got the puck alone in front and sniped a quick shot past Daccord for his 930th NHL goal.

After Eberle tied it with 10 seconds left in the first, the Kraken pulled ahead 3-2 with 6:36 to go in the second when Gaudreau slid a backhander past Thompson. The Capitals tied it 46 seconds into the third, with Jenner scoring off this own rebound.

The Capitals Flexed Their Depth in Alex Ovechkin’s Final Home Opener

Emma Baccellieri — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:50:56 GMT

Alex Ovechkin received a special introduction before Wednesday's home opener against the Penguins. Nick Wass/AP

The NHL schedule was made with a sense of ceremony — or at least a sense of potential television ratings. So just as the Capitals played their final home game last season against the Penguins, and just as the Capitals will play their final home game this season against the Penguins, the Capitals played their first home game of 2026-27 against the Penguins on Wednesday night.

Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have been inextricably linked for the past 21 seasons and remain so for season 22. It’s been a long time — long enough to cover more than half their lives, long enough to encompass the entire physical existence of a few teammates, long enough to soften a fierce rivalry into a mutual respect. The cumulative weight of those years was hard to ignore on Wednesday.

It was the 101st meeting between Ovechkin and Crosby, but it was not one in which either star did much to control the action. The Capitals won, 5-3, in a game that showcased their depth.

“You get off the ice, and there’s a lot of talent coming on after you,” said Capitals forward Tom Wilson. “It’s a good feeling.”

Eight different Capitals recorded a point on Wednesday, including big summer acquisitions Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou.

That group did not include Ovechkin, but his presence shaped much of the night anyway. (That impact included a smattering of protesters outside Capital One Arena voicing their frustration with Ovechkin’s recent appearance in a political ad supporting the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin.) It was the first game since 41-year-old Ovechkin announced that he would retire at the end of the season. He spent last year as the subject of permanent speculation. There will be none of that for 2026-27: He knows this is goodbye, and his teammates and fans know it, too. That was impossible to escape in his final home opener.

Fans chanted for Ovechkin before the pregame introductions. His young sons, Sergei and Ilya, were given the job of reading off his name and jersey number. (Ovechkin, rarely one for sentimentality, yielded a little bit here: “It was a pretty cool moment,” he said. Wilson, his most established teammate, was more effusive: “You got chills watching him come out. You've just got to try and soak it all in.") The crowd thrummed with anticipation every time he got the puck in the left circle, waiting for the captain to go to work in his office and give them a reason to explode.

Ovechkin shot twice but did not score. His role has shifted in the twilight of his career: Ovechkin averaged just 17 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time last year, the lowest he’d ever recorded with the Capitals, and that number has been lower this year. Ovechkin played 14 minutes, 5 seconds on Wednesday after logging even fewer minutes in each of the first two games of the season. It’s early in the year, of course, and Ovechkin did not play in the preseason while managing some mild injuries. But his job is clearly different than what it used to be. Most notably on Wednesday, when a 5-on-4 became a 5-on-3, Ovechkin came off the ice.

“I’m not going to say that he doesn’t want to be out there, and he’s like, ‘Yay. Thanks, Carbs, for calling me off,’” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “Like, that’s not how it is. But he also is understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish as a team and the great players that he has around him.”

Ovechkin demurred when questioned about his approach.

“For me personally, I just take it game by game,” he said.

Which, incidentally, will include three more games against Crosby and the Penguins.

Some more notes from the win:

The Tuch–Pierre-Luc Dubois–Wilson line continues to shine. All three members scored on Wednesday, and Dubois added one assist while Wilson added two. “They were outstanding tonight, right from their first shift,” Carbery said. He was keen on matching them up against Pittsburgh’s top line as much as possible to maximize the clash of Dubois on Crosby: “I really wanted [Dubois] to play against [Crosby] as much as I could.” Crosby finished as a -4 for the first time in four years.
Washington was 1-for-4 on the power play on Wednesday. (They are now 2-for-10 on the man advantage for the season.) But there have been real signs of improvement here — especially on the second unit, which produced that goal on Wednesday, with Ryan Leonard assisted by Jordan Kyrou and Cole Hutson. “Everyone’s moving really well,” Leonard said. “I think we’re doing a really good job reading off each other.” Their puck movement has been notably better from last year.
Wednesday kicked off a stretch of eight home games in three weeks for the Caps. They will go on the road for one game in Raleigh next week against the Hurricanes but will otherwise be entirely at home until the end of October.

Capitals Beat Penguins, 5-3, in Home Opener

The Associated Press — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:23:23 GMT

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:23:23 GMT https://www.washingtonsun.com/sports/capitals-penguins-game-recap-oct-7

Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) celebrates his goal with center Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Washington. (Nick Wass/AP)

By Noah Trister

Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists, and the Washington Capitals held on for a win in Alex Ovechkin's final home opener, 5-3 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

Anthony Beauvillier, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alex Tuch and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, who introduced their roster one by one before the game, saving Ovechkin for last. The Russian star's two kids handled that announcement, and the crowd gave a standing ovation.

Ovechkin announced earlier in the week that this season would be the last in the NHL for the league's career leader in goals.

Bryan Rust, Tommy Novak and Nick Robertson scored for the Penguins, who nearly rallied from a 4-1 second-period deficit.

This is the 22nd straight season Ovechkin and Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby have played against each other at some point. Only one forward duo in NHL history has clashed in more consecutive seasons: Mark Messier and Ron Francis, who played each other in 23.

Crosby was on the ice for every Washington even-strength goal, finishing with a minus-4. His only career minus-5 was March 6, 2014, at San Jose.

Beauvillier opened the scoring for Washington after just 23 seconds. The Penguins needed less than a minute to tie it on Bryan Rust's goal from in close.

Veteran defenseman Kris Letang of the Penguins played a blind pass in his own zone and paid for it when the puck went to Pierre-Luc Dubois behind the net. One pass later, and Wilson was making it 2-1 Capitals from alone in front.

Those same two players combined in the second period to make it 3-1 after another Pittsburgh mistake. Silovs went behind his net, but when he played the puck along the boards Wilson was right there to collect it and find Dubois in front.

Tuch intercepted a pass at his own blue line, and suddenly he and Wilson were bearing down alone on Silovs. After two quick passes back and forth, Tuch scored to put Washington up by three.

Novak quickly answered for the Penguins, and then Robertson cut the lead to one with a deflection from the slot.

It was 4-3 after two, but Leonard's power-play goal in the third gave the Capitals a bit of a cushion.

Later in the third, Washington goalie Logan Thompson kept the lead at two by stopping Blake Lizotte on a breakaway just after the Pittsburgh forward came out of the penalty box.

Declan Carlile of the Penguins was shaken up in the third after Dubois was assessed a minor penalty for boarding him.]]>

Alex Ovechkin Says the 2026-27 NHL Season Will Be His Last

Alex Schiffer — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:45:13 GMT

“I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Alex Ovechkin said in a statement. (Jason Behnken/AP)

This season will officially be Alex Ovechkin’s last.

On Monday, the Capitals’ captain said that he will retire at the end of the current NHL season, his 22nd with the organization. The announcement came on the 21-year anniversary of his NHL debut.

Ovechkin addressed his teammates in the locker room before the Capitals went public with the announcement, saying he and his family made the decision over the summer. The organization plans to honor Ovechkin on the eighth of each month this season. The left winger has worn the No. 8 his entire career.

“I love this game so much, but I know in my heart it’s the right decision,” Ovechkin said in a statement. “I am excited about this season with my teammates, and we will do everything we can to make this year special.”

The Capitals opened the season on Friday with a 5–2 win over the Hurricanes and lost on Saturday to the Lightning 3–1. The team’s home-opener on Wednesday is against the Penguins, who feature 39-year-old Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin and Crosby have widely been considered two of the greatest players of their generation.

Ovechkin is on the short list of greatest athletes in the history of D.C. He led the Capitals to the 2018 Stanley Cup title and broke numerous franchise and league records along the way, including Wayne Gretzky’s record for goals.

“For more than two decades, Alex has given our fans everything they could ask for: the goals, the records, the physicality, the passion, and an unmatched desire to win,” Capitals owner Ted Leonsis posted on X after the announcement.

The 41-year-old was selected No. 1 overall by the Capitals in the 2004 NHL draft and has a chance to add more milestones before he retires, including topping Gretzky’s record for combined goals (regular season and playoffs) and most assists in franchise history, among others.

A native of Russia, Ovechkin has also won three gold medals in the world championships and played in three Olympics while representing his country. Ovechkin drew criticism in September for appearing in a United Russia video advertisement supporting President Vladimir Putin.

He re-signed with the Capitals this summer on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million. He’s made nearly $175 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.

The Capitals have a chance to send Ovechkin out as a winner. After missing the playoffs last season, the team had a strong offseason, adding forwards Alex Tuch and Jordan Kyrou, and center Boone Jenner to completely revamp the team’s offense around its aging star.

“We have a fucking unbelievable team this year,” Ovechkin told his teammates in his locker room announcement. “And have 82 games left. Let’s make the playoffs. Let’s have fun.”

Capitals Fall to Lightning, 3-1, in Second Game of Season

The Associated Press — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:48:49 GMT

Jason Behnken/AP

TAMPA, Fla. — Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves, Charle-Edouard D’Astous and Conor Geekie scored in the first period and the Tampa Bay Lightning won their home opener with a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

Brandon Hagel had two assists for the Lightning, and Jake Guentzel scored into an empty net and had an assist. Tampa Bay opened play Thursday night in New York with a 5-1 loss to the Rangers.

Charlie Lindgren finished with 27 saves for Washington. Justin Sourdif scored for the Capitals.

D’Astous put Tampa Bay up 1-0 at 2:26 of the opening period as he cut down from the point into the middle slot to take a pass from Brandon Hagel and zipped a wrist shot past Lindgren.

The Lightning finished off the period with a goal from Geekie, who was off the right wing side to take a pass from Hagel for a quick shot to the inside of the post with 3:30 top go for a 2-0 lead.

The Capitals, who opened Friday with a win in Carolina, cut the deficit in half in the second period on a redirect from Sourdif off a point shot from Jacob Chychurn.

Guentzel scored with 2:05 left in the third.

Washington played the third period without defenseman Matt Roy, who suffered a lower-body injury and did not return.

Tampa Bay defenseman John Carlson, who spent 17 seasons with the Capitals, played his first career game against Washington, picking up an assist on the empty-net goal.

Capitals Beat the Hurricanes, 5-2, in Season Opener

The Associated Press — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 09:27:18 GMT

Alex Tuch and Pierre-Luc Dubois watch a replay of a goal in Friday night's win over Carolina. (Karl DeBlaker/AP)

RALEIGH, N.C. — Alex Tuch scored twice in his first game for Washington, Alex Ovechkin opened his 22nd NHL season with an assist and the Capitals beat the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Friday night.

Tuch joined the Capitals in an offseason trade after five seasons with Buffalo. The 41-year-old Ovechkin assisted on Tuch’s opening goal in Washington’s three-goal first period.

Cole Hutson, Jakob Chychrun and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, and Logan Thompson made 31 saves.

Sebastian Aho and Logan Stankoven scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi stopped 22 shots. The Hurricanes opened Tuesday night at home with a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida.

Tuch opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period, beating Busso with a wrist shot. Hutson scored on a snap shot with 8:27 left in the period, and Tuch connected on a backhander with 5:37 to go.

Jakob Chychrun made it 4-0 on a power play at 1:36 of second.

Aho got one back for Carolina on a power play with 3:10 left in the second, and Leonard made it 5-1 eight seconds later. Stankoven scored midway through the third.