NHL Metropolitan

Alexander Ovechkin posted two goals and two assists to lead the Washington Capitals to a 5-1 win over the visiting New York Rangers on Wednesday at Capital One Arena.

Ovechkin, who entered this season sixth in NHL history with 730 regular-season goals, is now all alone in fifth after passing ex-center Marcel Dionne.

The 36-year-old was a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury beforehand, but he took the ice and dominated en route to an emphatic victory.

Both of his goals came in the third period to cap Washington's scoring. His assists led to power-play goals from T.J. Oshie and Justin Schultz to start Washington's five-goal onslaught.

In the middle, Hendrix Lapierre netted a goal of his own for a 3-0 second-period lead.

Washington goalie Vitek Vanecek earned the win after amassing 23 saves. New York's lone goal was courtesy of Chris Kreider on the power play in the third to cut Washington's edge to 4-1.

The game served as the 2021-22 season opener for both teams.

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Notable Performances

Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin: 2 G, 2 A

Capitals RW T.J. Oshie: 1 G, 1 A

Capitals C Evgeny Kuznetsov: 3 A

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Ovechkin, Capitals Overwhelm Rangers

The Washington Capitals played like they're primed to win their second Stanley Cup in four seasons after a dominant performance.

Oshie got the Caps going after finding a loose puck in front of the net for a power-play goal. He was helped by Ovechkin, who passed in front of the net and benefitted from a deflection over to Oshie for the score:

OSHBABE ON THE POWER PLAY!*

*things you'll hear a lot this season pic.twitter.com/iPFP2vpngo

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 13, 2021

Oshie is typically a stud on power-play efforts, and he's continued that into this season.

T.J. Oshie opens the game with the Capitals' first goal of the season. Since joining the Capitals in 2015-16, Oshie's 57 power play goals rank second on the Capitals (Alex Ovechkin: 93) and tied for sixth in the NHL during that span.

— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) October 13, 2021

The Capitals somehow only had seven shots on goal through 32 minutes, so the Rangers still had some hope despite being down 1-0 in the latter half of the second period.

That was soon extinguished.

First, Schultz's laser from the blue line on yet another power play gave the Caps the 2-0 edge:

SCHULTZY SNIPE!!! pic.twitter.com/tWXzacKSRV

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

Twenty-four seconds later, the 19-year-old Lapierre made the most of his NHL debut to put the Caps up 3-0:

OMG LAPPY GOAL! pic.twitter.com/8JVyK2By2Y

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic set the scene:

Hendrix Lapierre, 19, in his first NHL game just scored on a slick drop pass from T.J. Oshie to make it 3-0 over NYR on opening night. Players on the ice went nuts. Bench went nuts. Crowd went nuts. What a moment. #Caps

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) October 14, 2021

That put the Rangers in a dire spot entering the third period, and that's when Ovechkin shut the door.

A fortuitous bounce led to Ovi's first goal, tying Dionne at fifth with 731 career scores. It also marked the Capitals' third power-play goal in six tries.

#GR8 Goal No. 731 pic.twitter.com/uradZLICWi

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

Ovechkin simply caught the Rangers sleeping in their own zone later on for the fifth and final Capitals goal:

we aren't breathing pic.twitter.com/vJplMB73kF

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 14, 2021

And thus ended the Capitals' first game, which couldn't have gone much better as the team looks primed to contend for the Stanley Cup.

What's Next?

The Caps will stay in town to welcome the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Rangers will host the Dallas Stars for their home opener Thursday at 7 p.m. ET in Madison Square Garden.

The New York Rangers are locking up their star player to a long-term deal.

On Sunday, the team announced it has agreed to terms with Mika Zibanejad on an eight-year contract extension. According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the extension is worth nearly $68 million with an average annual value "in the range" of $8.5 million.

Zibanejad led the Rangers with 24 goals in 56 games last season, adding 26 assists to rank second on the team with 50 points. The 28-year-old center also recorded a team-high seven game-winning goals.

Zibanejad was drafted sixth overall in 2011 by the Ottawa Senators. He was traded to New York in July 2016.

"Since joining the team in 2016, Mika has emerged as one of the premier players in the NHL," Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said. "In addition to being a great player on the ice, Mika is an exemplary person off of the ice. We are fortunate to have him as part of our Rangers organization and are excited that he will continue his career in New York."

Zibanejad has recorded 200 goals and 234 assists for 434 points in his 10-year career, with the majority of his production coming for the Blueshirts. In five seasons in New York, he's registered 136 goals and 147 assists in 323 games.

Zibanejad is a native of Stockholm, Sweden, and was one of the first three players named to his country's roster for the 2022 Winter Olympics on Thursday.

Zibanejad and the Rangers will look to improve on last year's 27-23 record. New York has failed to qualify for the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.     

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby joined the team for a morning skate ahead of Saturday's preseason finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets as he continues his recovery from wrist surgery on Sept. 8.

It marked the first time Crosby joined his teammates on the ice after previously skating before practices throughout training camp.

Pens head coach Mike Sullivan said he still doesn't expect the two-time Hart Trophy winner to play in road games against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday and Florida Panthers on Thursday to open the regular season, but he expects the 34-year-old center to take the trip.

"He is on schedule. And it does indicate progress," Sullivan told reporters. "That's obviously his first practice joining the group. I would anticipate more of that moving forward. We're real encouraged by the progress that he's made to this point. He's in terrific shape."

The Penguins' initial announcement stated Crosby, who scored 62 points in 55 games last season, was expected to miss "at least" six weeks to recover, which would put him on track to return around Oct. 20.

Pittsburgh general manager Ron Hextall said the NHL's longtime gold standard has dealt with the injury for a long time and the organization hoped an offseason of rest could help rectify the issue, but it became clear surgery was the best short- and long-term option.

"At some point, you ramp things up along the way," Hextall said. "The conclusion we came to was this procedure was the best way to proceed."

He added: "We all, including Sid, wish we had known this a month or two months ago. That would be great, but we are where we are."

The Penguins are also set to open the 2021-22 campaign without fellow star Evgeni Malkin, who's expected to miss the first two months of the season after June knee surgery.

Their absences will leave a major void in the middle of the ice for Pittsburgh.

Jeff Carter figures to center the top line, while Evan Rodrigues should see his most expansive role since joining the Pens in February 2020. Rodrigues did see some top-six minutes during his previous stint with the Buffalo Sabres, though he's never scored more than nine goals in a season.

After the Penguins return from Florida, they embark on an eight-game homestand. Crosby should return at some point during that stretch barring any setbacks.

The Washington Capitals announced that superstar winger Alex Ovechkin left Friday night's preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers with a lower-body injury and would not return.

No other details were disclosed. 

Here's why Ovi left tonight's game with a lower-body injury. #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/oiNHWjP3Nz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 9, 2021

Ovechkin is one of the most lethal scorers in NHL history with 730 career goals, and he may eventually surpass Wayne Gretzky (894 goals) for the all-time record. His durability is part of the reason he's moved within striking distance of the historic mark.

The 36-year-old Russian missed four games or less in 14 of his first 15 NHL seasons, including five years where he played in all of the Caps' regular-season contests. He did miss 11 games last season, however, seven with a lower-body injury and four because of COVID-19 protocols.

Anthony Mantha would likely get the first chance to fill the void at left wing on the team's first line. Carl Hagelin and Conor Sheary could also see more time in the top six and on the power play should the injury linger into the start of the regular season. 

Washington's depth on the left side should help the club overcome any type of short-term absence for Ovechkin. A more extended injury for the face of the franchise would be a significant setback since he's still one of the league's most dangerous offensive players.

The Capitals open their 2021-22 campaign on Oct. 13 against the New York Rangers. 

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Monday allegations by Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner that the team pushed for players to receive nonprescription medication are "completely false."

Lehner, who used his Twitter feed over the weekend to focus on NHL player safety amid concerns about the Buffalo Sabres' treatment of Jack Eichel, called out Vigneault on Saturday:

https://twitter.com/RobinLehner/status/1444478979931459584

Here's the Flyers coach's full response:

AV responds to Lehner’s accusations. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/8NIF7356lR

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 4, 2021

Part 2: AV responds to Lehner charges. #Flyers #NHL pic.twitter.com/Y734cvELUo

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 4, 2021

Lehner clarified he wasn't accusing Vigneault of distributing pills to players but was discussing the coach's methods in terms of how he treats players, which he believes are "unacceptable," per Emily Kaplan of ESPN.

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher released a statement Sunday in response to the allegations.

"The health and well-being of our players is our top priority, and any care provided to them comes from the team's health care professionals, not the coaching staff," Fletcher said. "We have no reason to believe any of our players have received improper care."

Meanwhile, Lehner highlighted what he believes was improper care from the Sabres' training staff while he dealt with an ankle injury during the 2015-16 season:

https://twitter.com/RobinLehner/status/1444348543330828290

His concerns come as Buffalo and Eichel remain in an extended standoff about the type of treatment the star center should receive to overcome a neck injury suffered last season.

The Sabres prefer a traditional disk fusion, while Eichel's camp wants him to receive artificial disk replacement surgery they believe will provide more long-term health benefits. The team is hesitant because that procedure has never been performed on an NHL player.

Buffalo's efforts to trade the three-time All-Star have been unsuccessful amid the medical uncertainty, and Eichel was stripped of the captaincy ahead of the 2021-22 season as he remains without a timetable to return.

Lehner called on the NHL Players' Association to do more on Eichel's behalf:

https://twitter.com/RobinLehner/status/1444038822426152960

The Sabres open the new season Oct. 14 when they host the Montreal Canadiens, while the Flyers begin play Oct. 15 at home against the Vancouver Canucks.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is the only member of his team who is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I have a couple health concerns, health reasons why I'm working through it a little slower," Blackwood said, per Corey Masisak of The Athletic. "I have a couple boxes I want to check off and not just rush to do it."

Masisak noted the other 49 players at Devils' training camp are all vaccinated.

"Everyone has been great," Blackwood said. "I'm not trying to be a distraction to them while I work through it. I am really lucky to have a great set of teammates that support me no matter what, whether they agree or disagree with me."

While the goaltender said he is working through his decision, Lena H. Sun and Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post reported a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined fully vaccinated people were 11 times less likely to die and 10 times less likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 during the spring and summer.

The Devils were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than most teams last season when they were forced to shut down activities for two weeks with more than 12 players testing positive.

Blackwood was among those who did and said he was symptomatic for weeks.

As Masisak explained, Blackwood's status as an unvaccinated player also represents a potential competitive disadvantage because he will not be allowed to travel to Canada for any of the team's nine games there this season if he is not fully vaccinated two weeks before the games.

New Jersey's first game in Canada is Dec. 3, meaning its goaltender depth could be tested if he cannot take the ice.

What's more, the team could suspend him without pay if he misses those games or time with the virus or as a high-risk close contact.

Blackwood appeared in 35 games for the Devils last season and had a 14-17-4 record with a goals against average of 3.04 and save percentage of .902. It was a step in the wrong direction after he posted a goals against average of 2.61 in 2018-19 and 2.77 in 2019-20.

The Devils are scheduled to start their regular season Oct. 15 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Washington Capitals and Caesars Entertainment announced a multiyear partnership Friday that will begin in the 2022-23 season, per David Purdum and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN. The team will wear the Caesars Sportsbook logo on its home and third sweaters.

The Capitals are the first NHL team with a jersey sponsor and the first in the four major United States sports leagues to sell jersey sponsorship to a gambling entity. 

The patch will measure three inches by three-and-a-half inches.

The Capitals will not have the Caesars Sportsbook advertising on its away uniforms, however, to ensure it isn't seen in arenas in states where single-game sports betting isn't permitted.

"We don't want that jersey going to away markets where it's not legal," said Keith Wachtel, the NHL's chief business officer and senior executive vice president.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were dealt a major blow Thursday, as it was announced that superstar center Evgeni Malkin will miss significant time during the 2021-22 NHL season.

According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said Malkin will miss at least the first two months of the season.

Malkin underwent knee surgery in June after initially suffering the injury in March.

The 35-year-old is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, seven-time All-Star, two-time Art Ross Trophy winner (most regular-season points) and has claimed the Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year), Conn Smythe Trophy (Stanley Cup MVP), Hart Memorial Trophy (regular-season MVP) and Ted Lindsay Award (NHLPA's most outstanding player) one time each in his career.

Alongside Sidney Crosby, he has made the Penguins one of the most successful and feared teams in the NHL over the past 15 or so years. 

The Russian has scored over 100 points in three seasons and has hit 70 or more points 11 times in his career. 

But a right knee injury limited him to just 33 games in the 2020-21 season, and he was having something of a down year, scoring just eight goals and adding 20 assists. Scoring 28 points in 33 games wouldn't be an issue for most players, but it was just the second time in his career that Malkin's points didn't outnumber his games played. 

Nobody can play forever, and it's possible that Malkin's career is simply winding to a close. His latest injury might be another clue that's the case. 

In Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust, the Penguins still have firepower. But there's little doubt that Malkin's scoring instincts and presence as the second-line center will be missed. 

Look for Jeff Carter to get bumped up to the second line in his place for at least the first two months of the campaign.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and goalie Elvis Merzlikins have agreed to a long-term contract extension. 

Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Tuesday that Merzlikins signed a five-year, $27 million deal that keeps him with the organization through the 2026-27 season.

"Goaltending is a position of strength for our team and Elvis Merzlikins has been an important part of that over the past two seasons so we are very excited to have agreed to terms on a contract extension that will keep him in Columbus for at least the next six years," Kekalainen said in the announcement. "He is big, athletic and has a tremendous passion for the game and we believe he will be an integral part of our success in the coming years."

Merzlikins was a third-round pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2014 NHL draft. He remained in Switzerland, playing for HC Lugano in the National League for five seasons before coming to Columbus. 

At the time of his arrival, Merzlikins signed a one-year, entry-level deal with the Blue Jackets. He signed a two-year extension in April 2020 that was set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season. 

The Latvia native has split time in the net with Joonas Korpisalo over the past two seasons for the Blue Jackets. He has been excellent with a 2.54 goals against average, 92.0 save percentage in 61 appearances.

Despite finishing tied for 12th in the league with a 91.6 save percentage last season, Merzlikins could only manage an 8-12-5 record in 23 starts because the offense tied for 28th in goals per game (2.39). 

Korpisalo, whose current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, will likely go into the year as Columbus' primary goaltender. 

Merzlikins' extension gives the Blue Jackets a natural succession plan if they decide to let Korpisalo test free agency. The 27-year-old's track record of success over the past two seasons suggests he has the ability to be a No. 1 goalie in the future.