Capitals' Alex Ovechkin: Leads way with hat trick in opener
Ovechkin netted a hat trick and scored in the shootout in Thursday's season-opening win over Ottawa.
It was an electric night for the captain, who fired six shots on goal during regulation and beat Craig Anderson with a perfectly placed shot in the skills competition. The 32-year-old managed just 33 goals in 2016-17 after posting three consecutive 50-goal seasons, but things are already off to a blazing start this year. Ovechkin skated on the top line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana and appears to already have generated chemistry with his new linemates. He may be aging, but Ovechkin's 18th career NHL hat trick on Opening Night is a friendly reminder that he's still one of the best goal scorers in the game.