The Capitals have been eliminated from contention for the playoffs

Capitals stay alive, and fans salute Alex Ovechkin Sunday’s 3-0 win over the Penguins could be the star’s last game at Capital One Arena.

If last night was the last time Alex Ovechkin will leave the ice after a win at Capital One Arena, he did so with the fans chanting his name and the spotlight on his back.

On a maybe-goodbye, Ovechkin's impact and threading the needle of uncertainty:
www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2026/...

Dylan Strome gets himself thrown out of the opening faceoff so that Ovechkin takes it against Sid. Sid, of course, won it clean

Ilya Protas will make his NHL debut for the Caps tomorrow night in Toronto, centering a line between his brother Aliaksei and Tom Wilson. Spencer Carbery said they had a talk this morning and decided that Aliaksei will be "Big Pro" and Ilya will be "Pro"

Aliaksei Protas will return for the Caps tonight against the Sabres after missing the last two games with an injury. Logan Thompson starts in goal

2-0 Capitals. A 30-goal season for 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin. Just unreal

1-0 Capitals. In his 900th career game, Tom Wilson scores

Didn’t see this coming, but I’m back at the Post to cover the final stretch of the Caps’ season. It’s been a really weird couple of months, but I’m grateful to have the work and be back doing what I love for the time being

Cannon Balls S1 E7 with Bailey Johnson, suddenly former NHL writer for the Washington Post. Bailey, laid off Wednesday, talks of the upheaval at the Post and some Blue Jackets and Crew. Spotify video

New Cannon Balls podcast up at Spotify will hit Apple Podcasts soon. Guest is @baileyannej.bsky.social NHL Capitals beat writer for the Washington Post, laid off in the purge Wednesday. We talk journalistic upheaval and a bit of #CBJ and a touch of #Crew96.

open.spotify.com/episode/73UV...

Thank you my dear friend 🫶 the axe has fallen

I was among the layoffs at The Washington Post today. It has been an absolute dream to be a small part of this incredible team. Covering the Caps has been an honor; being a beat writer is an all-consuming thing that I love deeply. I hope I’ll get to continue that in whatever is next

Dad strength! Martin Fehervary makes it 1-1 in his first game back after his daughter, Anna, was born Saturday

Logan Thompson (upper body) won't play tonight or tomorrow but the plan is that he'll play Thursday. Matt Roy (lower body) is questionable for tonight. If Roy is able to play, Thompson would be put on IR to clear a roster spot, but it changes nothing about the plan for him.

Very, very optional practice for the Caps today — players had the option of even coming to the rink at all — but Matt Roy (lower body, day to day) is skating, which is a good sign

Connor McMichael is week to week with an upper body injury, Spencer Carbery says.

Lindgren is in the net, but Stevenson just did some stretches before the shootout began

Charlie Lindgren looks shaken up. Clay Stevenson is gathering his gear

1-0 Capitals. What a shift for Nic Dowd, who laid a big hit on Axel Sandin-Pellikka, briefly tangled with Ben Chiarot, and then scored to put the Caps up in this one

Whoops sorry guys, got my French Canadian wires crossed. That should be Lapierre on the fourth line

Lines for the Caps in warmups in Detroit:

Ovechkin-Strome-Beauvillier
Protas-Sourdif-Wilson
McMichael-Dowd-Leonard
Duhaime-Beauvillier-Frank

Fehervary-Carlson
Chychrun-TvR
Sandin-Chisholm

Rasmus Sandin is on the ice for the Caps in warmups here in Detroit. Matt Roy is not

Logan Thompson is day to day with an upper body injury, Spencer Carbery says. He was hit in the mask with a shot during the game against Seattle on Wednesday

As ‘Heated Rivalry’ takes off, the NHL faces questions about inclusion The hit show about a romance between two professional hockey players has brought new fans to a sport that has struggled with to welcome the LGBTQ+ community.

As Heated Rivalry has exploded in popularity, with teams across the NHL leaning in and more LGBTQ+ fans attending games, those new fans have questions about inclusion in the sport.
"Is this just another way of pandering to people, or do we actually care?"
wapo.st/4k9Vzk3

A lot of people just lost their hats here in Seattle. McCann's hat trick goal gets washed out by a penalty before the goal, which took a long review to figure out

Lines for the Caps here in Seattle, without Sandin and Roy (both lower body, day to day)

McMichael-Strome-Leonard
Protas-Sourdif-Wilson
Ovechkin-Dowd-Frank
Duhaime-Lapierre-Beauvillier

Chychrun-Carlson
Fehervary-TvR
Chisholm-McIlrath

Thompson

Yes thank you I understand the rule

My favorite part of hockey is when a guy is trying desperately to prove that they're bleeding. Rubbing at their face and holding out their hand like "Look! See! Blood!"

Sandin didn't take a shift, stood at the end of the bench looking like he was trying to stretch out and shake it off. Has gone back down the tunnel at the first TV timeout

This is now one of the weirdest 2-2 hockey games I've ever seen

Sandin was slow to come back from the room but just emerged from the tunnel and took his spot on the bench.