The Washington Capitals opened their 2025–26 season against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena in a sold-out atmosphere that felt both familiar and electric. The crowd of 18,347 chanted for Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring leader, as he strode down the red carpet from the corner of the rink.
For Ovechkin, this marks his 17th season as captain, and each opening night brings the same thrill, though the stakes for establishing early momentum remain high. Despite the anticipation, the Capitals struggled to execute at their usual pace. Small mistakes and missed opportunities defined much of the game against Boston, leaving Ovechkin and his teammates searching for consistency.
“It’s great,” Ovechkin said, according to NHL.com. “It’s sold out. The fans gave us lots of energy. So, it was pretty cool.” He acknowledged the team’s shortcomings while emphasizing growth. “I think we still have good looks today, but every game we’re going to be better and better. You can see all four lines have pretty good chances, especially the first two periods. We just don’t execute.”
How did the season opener go for the Capitals?
The Capitals fell 3–1 to the Bruins, a scoreline that doesn’t fully reflect the opportunities they created. Ovechkin, coming off a lower-body injury that limited his final preseason games, played 18:16, including 6:22 on the power play.
Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Capitals reacts after losing the Bruins. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Despite these limitations, Ovechkin remains confident that repetitions will help the Capitals find rhythm. “The first couple of games it’s always going to be different. It’s going to be different pace, different atmosphere and maybe you’re going to hold the stick too tight. But it’s the first game for both teams and you could see there was lots of bounces, lots of kind of miscommunications. It [stinks], so we’re going to move on.”
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What’s next for Ovechkin and the Capitals?
As the Capitals move past the opener, Ovechkin’s focus is on improvement and establishing flow for the season ahead. With his sights set on reaching 900 career goals, each game remains an opportunity to add to his legendary total while helping Washington build momentum.
Teammates, including Tom Wilson, echoed the sentiment about savoring the experience. “The crowd starts chanting, ‘Ovi!’ and those are the moments you just try and take in. You get the shivers and stuff. You stand there and you just try and take it in and remember it forever because you can’t take those moments for granted.”
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The Capitals will look to rebound quickly in their next matchup, aiming to tighten defensive play, sharpen execution, and let Ovechkin lead with his scoring prowess and veteran presence. Every game in this long season will test the team’s ability to adapt and execute under pressure, setting the tone for their 2025–26 NHL campaign.
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