In a thrilling matchup, Alex Ovechkin netted a hat trick, leading the Washington Capitals to a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. This performance brings Ovechkin's career total to 866 goals, just 29 shy of Wayne Gretzky's all-time record.

Former Golden Knight Logan Thompson made a strong return, saving 40 shots. The Capitals also saw contributions from Jakob Chychrun and Jakub Vrana, while Brett Howden and Keegan Kolesar scored for Vegas. Ovechkin's defensive play was also notable, as he prevented a goal by Ivan Barbashev.