Ovechkin's Final Home Opener: Caps Beat Crosby's Penguins 5-3
The farewell tour's first signature night landed Wednesday. Per NHL.com: "The beginning of Alex Ovechkin's farewell to the NHL provided another memorable moment for the Washington Capitals with a 5-3 victory against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in his final home opener on Wednesday." Tom Wilson (a goal and two assists) led Washington; the Capitals introduced their roster one by one before the game and saved Ovechkin for last, with his two sons delivering a special introduction (Sportsnet)1.
Ovechkin, 41, who announced to teammates Monday that this 22nd NHL season will be his last, carries a league-record 929 career goals into the tour and urged the locker room to "make the most of the opportunity ahead of them this season." The 2-1-0 Capitals next host the 4-1-0 Rangers at Capital One Arena on Friday. Contract detail worth noting (ESPN): he's on a $4.25M AAV this season with a $4.75M performance bonus triggered by appearing in his 10th game.
Elsewhere in the young season: Mikko Rantanen had four points as Dallas blanked Buffalo; Mason Stankoven's first career hat trick powered the defending-champion Hurricanes past Vancouver; Macklin Celebrini missed a second straight Sharks game with a lower-body injury; Pastrnak scored his first two goals of the season in Boston's win over Utah.
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An instance of A superstar's farewell season now opens as a pre-booked ceremony, not a statistical chase. — The farewell season opens as a choreographed ceremony staged around the star rather than a pure competitive pursuit. ↩︎