Home / Sports / Ovechkin Ends Goal Drought as Capitals Crush Wild 5-1
Ovechkin Ends Goal Drought as Capitals Crush Wild 5-1
18 Oct
Summary
- Ovechkin scores first goal of the season
- Strome nets a brace in Capitals' 4th straight win
- Capitals outshoot Wild 45-15
On October 18th, 2025, the Washington Capitals continued their strong start to the season with a dominant 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. The game's biggest story was the return to form of Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who scored his first goal of the 2025-26 campaign.
Ovechkin's third-period strike, his 898th career goal, sparked a roar from the home crowd as the counter above the ice was flipped to display his new total. The NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer also contributed an assist in a commanding performance by the Capitals.
Dylan Strome was the other standout performer, netting a brace for the home side. The Capitals outshot the Wild by a margin of 45-15, with Logan Thompson allowing only a second-period tally from former Capitals player Marcus Johansson to tie the game briefly. However, Aliaksei Protas quickly restored the Capitals' lead, and they never looked back, adding two more goals in the third period to seal a comfortable victory.
The win extended the Capitals' winning streak to four games, cementing their position as one of the early-season pacesetters in the NHL.
