NHL: Capitals grab key late-season win over Senators

Cole Hutson scored in his NHL debut, sealing Washington’s 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators, while Alex Ovechkin notched his 25th goal of the season, tying Gordie Howe’s record for 20 seasons with 25+ goals. Logan Thompson made 34 saves to secure the victory.

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA / Reuters

March 19, 2026

Washington Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson (44) handles the puck during the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on March 18, 2026.

Daniel Kucin Jr. / Reuters

Cole Hutson marked an impressive NHL debut for the Washington Capitals, scoring late in the game to seal a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, and Aliaksei Protas also scored for Washington (34-27-8, 76 points), which has won two of its last three games. Rasmus Sandin, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Connor McMichael recorded assists.

Goalie Logan Thompson made 34 saves, stopping every shot for more than 57 minutes, earning his second win in six games this month (2-3-1).

For the Senators (34-24-9, 77 points), Tim Stutzle scored his 31st goal of the season, with assists from Claude Giroux and Thomas Chabot. Linus Ullmark made 21 saves, but Ottawa’s two-game winning streak came to an end.

Hutson, 19, and younger brother of Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson, was on the ice for both the opening faceoff and the final minute of the game. On a 2-on-1 breakaway with an empty net, McMichael encouraged the rookie to take the shot, which he converted with 26 seconds remaining to end the scoring.

Ovechkin opened the scoring unconventionally with 11:51 left in the second period. The NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer reached career goal No. 922 when Sandin’s pass deflected off his skate and off Ottawa defenseman Artem Zub before beating Ullmark.

This was Ovechkin’s first goal since Feb. 28 and his first at home since Jan. 7, ending an 11-game home drought, the longest in his career. The goal also marked his 25th of the season, tying him with Gordie Howe for an NHL record of 20 seasons with at least 25 goals. Including postseason goals, Ovechkin now has 999, one shy of joining Wayne Gretzky in the 1,000-goal club for combined regular-season and playoff goals.

Wilson added his goal 10 minutes later, keeping pace with Ovechkin for the team lead. Ottawa pulled Ullmark with just over three minutes left, and Stutzle narrowed the gap with 2:41 remaining. Protas scored 92 seconds later, and Hutson finished the game with the empty-net goal after Ottawa’s Tyler Kleven drew a penalty, giving the Capitals the 4-1 victory. -Field Level Media/Reuters