Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists to lead the host Washington Capitals to a 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.
It was the 76th regular-season meeting and 101st overall matchup of all-time goal leader Alex Ovechkin, 41, who announced on Monday this would be his final season, and Sidney Crosby, 39. Both are in their 22nd season.
Neither figured in the scoring. Ovechkin was playing his first game after his announcement.
Pierre-Luc Dubois added goal and an assist and Anthony Beauvillier, Alex Tuch and Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals in their home opener following a 1-1-0 road start. Logan Thompson made 27 saves.
Bryan Rust, making his season debut after being activated from injured reserve, Tommy Novak and Nick Robertson got goals for the Penguins, who lost their second straight. Arturs Silovs stopped 22 shots.
Novak and Robertson scored in the final six minutes of the second period to pull Pittsburgh to within 4-3. Novak deposited a loose puck with 5:55 left in the frame and Robertson tipped in a shot with 1:59 remaining in the period.
Leonard’s power-play goal, from the top of the left circle off the rush, 3:55 into the third provided the final margin.
The Capitals took an early lead on Beauvillier’s breakaway goal 23 seconds in.
Rust tied it 56 seconds later on his first shift of the season by driving in off left wing and stuffing a shot through Thompson.
The goals came on the first shot for each team.
Wilson broke the tie with 8:09 left in the first period when he scored from the slot after taking a pass from Dubois.
Wilson returned the favor, after Silovs’ turnover behind the net, by setting up Dubois in front 4:42 into the middle period. Tuch made it 4-1 with 6:46 left in the second on a 2-on-0 rush with Wilson.
The Penguins acquired defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Edmonton Oilers for Filip Hallander earlier on Wednesday. Stastney did not play against Washington.
The NHL granted Pittsburgh’s Andrei Kuzmenko non-roster status. He is back from Russia after attending his father’s funeral.
