Capitals Outshine Golden Knights, Ending Season-Opening Winning Streak

A masterful play by Alex Ovechkin, assisting Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas’ goals, paired with Logan Thompson’s standout 24-save performance against his previous team, led to the Washington Capitals halting the Vegas Golden Knights’ season-opening winning streak at three, with a 4-2 victory on Tuesday night.

Ovechkin’s Historic Milestone

Ovechkin, currently in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s prestigious NHL career goals record, etched his name in the history books as the 60th player to secure 700 assists. He has started the season strong, with three assists in the first two games and now stands just 42 assists short of surpassing Gretzky’s record.

Vrana’s Triumphant Return

Jakub Vrana, in his first game back with the Capitals since his 2018 Stanley Cup victory against Vegas, scored on his initial shot. Vrana, who had attended the team’s camp on a trial basis, made a spectacular return. Adding to the Capitals’ score was Jakob Chychrun, marking his first goal since his summertime trade from Ottawa.

Thompson Shines Against Former Team

In the midst of several offseason changes, Logan Thompson demonstrated his prowess, defeating the Golden Knights who had traded him instead of offering him a more prominent role. On the other hand, Adin Hill, the goalie who once led Vegas to the Cup in ’23, conceded four goals from 22 shots. The Knights’ scoring was managed by Victor Olofsson and Jack Eichel.

Key Takeaways and Moments

The Golden Knights might chalk this up to a schedule loss, having had no time to adjust to the Eastern Time Zone after a home game on Sunday night. The Capitals, however, seemed to have found their rhythm, starting later than most teams, including their initial two opponents.

A key moment came 6:13 into the second period when Chychrun scored off Nic Dowd’s rush, boosting the score to 4-1 in favor of the Capitals.

Impressive Statistics

Ovechkin joined the elite ranks of Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr, Marcel Dionne, and Phil Esposito as only the sixth player with both 700 goals and 700 assists.

What’s Next?

The Golden Knights will continue their Eastern Conference road trip with a stop in Tampa Bay on Thursday. At the same time, the Capitals will be hosting Dallas. Stay tuned for more exciting NHL action!