Photo: Patrick Smith/NHL via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals downed the New York Rangers, 5-1, Wednesday night at Capital One Arena. The Capitals improve to 24-21-1-1 all-time in season openers and 6-0-2 over the last eight seasons.

GAME STATS

• NHL box score
• Natural Stat Trick
• MoneyPuck

STARTERS

The Capitals starting lines for the season opener.

Vitek Vanecek got the start in goal.

FIRST PERIOD

The Capitals opened the scoring with a power play goal from T.J. Oshie (1) at 4:39 of the first frame. Alex Ovechkin (1) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (1) had the helpers.

OSHBABE ON THE POWER PLAY!*

*things you’ll hear a lot this season pic.twitter.com/iPFP2vpngo

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 13, 2021

The first period would conclude with the Capitals leading 1-0. The Capitals led in shot attempts 12-10, scoring chances 7-4. The Rangers led in expected goals for 50.08% to 49.02%.

SECOND PERIOD

The Capitals stretched their lead to 2-0 with a power play goal from Justin Schultz at 12:38 of the middle frame. Evgeny Kuznetsov (2) and Alex Ovechkin (2) had the assists.

SCHULTZY SNIPE!!! pic.twitter.com/tWXzacKSRV

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

The Capitals made it 3-0 less than a minute later with a goal from Hendrix Lapierre at 13:02 of the second period. It was Lapierre’s first career NHL goal. T.J. OShie (1) and Conor Sheary (1) had the assists.

OMG LAPPY GOAL! pic.twitter.com/8JVyK2By2Y

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

The second period would conclude with the Capitals leading 3-0. The Capitals led in shot attempts 14-7 and 26-17 after two periods. The Capitals led in scoring chances 10-2 in the middle frame and 17-6 after two periods. The Capitals led in expected goals percentage 83.8% to 16.2% in the second period and 58.11% to 41.89% after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

The Capitals stretched their lead to 4-0 with a power play goal from Alex Ovechkin (1) at 2:37 of the third period. The goal was Ovechkin’s 731st career goal, tying him with Marcel Dionne on the all-time goals list. Anthony Mantha (1) and John Carlson (1) had the helpers.

#GR8 Goal No. 731 pic.twitter.com/uradZLICWi

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

The Rangers would get on the scoreboard with a power play goal from Kris Kreider, to make it 4-1.

The Capitals would restore the four-goal lead with a short-handed goal from Alex Ovechkin, his second of the contest, to make it 5-1. The goal moved Ovechkin past Marcel Dione for 5th place on the all-time goals list.

we aren’t breathing pic.twitter.com/vJplMB73kF

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

That would be the final.

SHAVINGS

• Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the game and the 732nd goal of his career, passing Marcel Dionne for the fifth-most goals in NHL history.
• Additionally, with 270 career power play goals, Ovechkin is five power play goals shy of passing Dave Andreychuk (274ppg) for the most power play goals in NHL history.
• Hendrix Lapierre scored to give the Caps a 3-0 lead, his first career NHL goal.
• With two assists tonight, Evgeny Kuznetsov has recorded his 100th career multi-point game. Kuznetsov would score more assist for three points on the night.
• Justin Schultz scored to give the Caps a 2-0 lead, marking the Capitals’ second power play goal of the game. That’s Schultz’s first power play goal as a Capital.
• Tonight marked Alex Ovechkin’s 150th career multi-goal game, which ranks fourth in NHL history (Wayne Gretzky: 189; Brett Hull: 158; Mario Lemieux: 154).
• Peter Laviolette earned his 674th win as a head coach, passing John Tortorella for the most wins by an American-born head coach in NHL history.

By Jon Sorensen
Follow @nova_caps

SCENES FROM THE DISTRICT

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