Caps 5-3 Penguins — Wilson line runs Crosby night; Ovechkin's last home opener

Final — Capitals 5, Penguins 3

Alex Ovechkin's sons introduced him for his 22nd and final Cap One home opener. Twenty-three seconds later, Anthony Beauvillier was alone on a Dylan Strome feed and finished a backhand over Arturs Silovs. The building had its night.

Bryan Rust — activated from IR and skating his first shift of the season — tied it 1-1 at 1:19. That was Pittsburgh's only first-period shot from a forward. The rest belonged to Washington's new top line.

The Dubois night

Tom Wilson buried a no-look Dubois feed from behind the net at 11:51 of the first (2-1). Early in the second, Wilson returned the favor below the goal line after Silovs mishandled behind his cage — Dubois into a yawning net, 3-1. Midway through the period Wilson and Alex Tuch went 2-on-none; Tuch slammed his third of the young season for 4-1.

Crosby finished minus-four. Every Capitals even-strength goal came with him on the ice. Wilson, Dubois, and Tuch were the three stars, in that order. Spencer Carbery called the line outstanding from the first shift — forecheck turnovers, long offensive-zone shifts, and the Crosby matchup won.

Pens push, Thompson answers

Tommy Novak and Nick Robertson cut it to 4-3 before the second ended. Thompson killed a late Penguins power play (Rakell, Novak denied) and carried the kill into the third. After Beauvillier drew a hooking call on Trevor van Riemsdyk, Jordan Kyrou found Ryan Leonard at the left circle for the 5-3 power-play goal at 3:55 — Pittsburgh's first PP goal allowed after nine kills to open the year.

Thompson (27 saves, 2-0-0) also robbed Rust and Blake Lizotte on breakaways later. Empty-net pressure for the final four minutes went nowhere.

What flips next

Washington is 2-1-0 with two Metro wins in as many tries. Friday — New York Rangers at Capital One Arena. Then Seattle on Sunday. The Dubois line just set the standard; the question is whether it holds against a different metro weight class.

The Capitals page is the hub.

*Thursday afternoon desk, Oct. 8, 2026. Recap from Capitals.com / NHL.com / AP.*