Credit: @TopCornerHockey on Youtube
The Washington Capitals will start their home slate on October 7 vs. a familiar foe. Pittsburgh is back at Capital One Arena with a 7:30 p.m. start, with a bit more on the line: likely the 101st game between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, and Ovechkin’s first at-bat of a 22nd NHL season.
A Familiar Rivalry, a Continuing Story
After signing a one-year extension, Ovechkin is back as the flair of the franchise as well as the game’s top goal scorer. The Penguins get their home opener against a blue and gold machine in Crosby, and one of the league’s all-time big rivalries is ongoing. The two captains have gone head-to-head for almost 20 years. Both are still prominent members of their teams and are still able to dictate a night.
It is the first time this season for Capitals fans that they will have the opportunity to see their captain on home ice. The building has witnessed Ovechkin chasing and breaking records over the years. Another home opener against Pittsburgh simply adds another layer of history to an already charged atmosphere.
Setting the Tone Early
This is the first night at Capital One Arena for Washington as they kick off the season on the road. The selection of the opposition is carefully considered. The evening has an immediate focus as the two teams play for division supremacy, plus the presence of Ovechkin and Crosby.
One game is not going to decide the season, but it’s an early benchmark and a reminder of what both teams are aiming for. October 7 will focus on two old-timers who represented an era when the puck dropped.
For Ovechkin, it is another home opener in a career full of them. To the Capitals and their supporters, it marks the beginning of another season with their captain still creating the franchise’s longest legacy.
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