Capitals celebrate Alex Ovechkin with win over Penguins in his final home opener

“Ovi” chants rang through Capital One Arena as fans anticipated Alex Ovechkin’s entrance for his final NHL home opener Wednesday night.

The tunnel remained empty until their voices faded. And then Ovechkin’s two sons, Sergei and Ilya, took the mic. A collective “aww” filled the air as they introduced their father, the Capitals’ captain and one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

“That was amazing,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “... I had no idea any of that was happening. And the pause. I think [the game operations team] nailed that moment.”

Ovechkin said his wife and sons were nervous, but he told them not to be.

“You don’t have to be worried about it. Don’t get nervous. Just say it,” Ovechkin said he told his kids.

This is Ovechkin’s 22nd — and last — NHL season. Sergei and Ilya are a big reason he plans to retire when it’s over. He said it’s cool they’ll be able to watch this when they’re older.

“I’m not 20 years old, and I want to play with my kids when they’re growing up,” Ovechkin told reporters Tuesday. “Go play hockey, play soccer, play basketball, and I want to be healthy enough to do that kind of stuff.”

Ovechkin signed a one-year contract over the summer. Prior to signing, no one — including Ovechkin — knew whether he’d return after the 2025-26 season.

The Capitals didn’t qualify for the playoffs last spring. After their season finale against Pittsburgh, Penguins players lined up to shake Ovechkin’s hand.

He waved them off. So perhaps he at least suspected he’d see them again.

The Penguins were, in fact, waiting six months after that emotional introduction, and Ovechkin’s teammates made sure the mood stayed celebratory with a 5-2 win.

Ovechkin was held scoreless but appeared to take moments to relish the night — as he will have a chance to do throughout the season, Carbery pointed out.

“He hasn’t said this to me, but I would assume that you’re gonna observe O taking in a little bit more of what’s going on throughout the year,” Carbery said.

He won’t be the only one. There will be people in audiences in every arena who are watching Ovechkin live for the last time. Ticket prices spiked across North America for games against the Capitals following Ovechkin’s announcement.

“We should do a pool,” Carbery joked. “That’s a really good idea for our staff. Like, ‘Does it get to $1,500?’”

(Right now, the get-in price for his last home game is just over $700 on the secondary market.)

Every game will mean more to his teammates, as well, not just for the sentiment but for the results, Carbery acknowledged.

“There’s urgency every year in the National Hockey League, no doubt, but there’s a little bit of like, ‘I gotta make sure that I’m pulling my weight,’” Carbery said, comparing it to the way “The Chase” — Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record — galvanized the team.

The Capitals showed that urgency as soon as the puck dropped. Anthony Beauvillier scored 23 seconds in on a breakaway pass from Dylan Strome.

Although the Penguins scored less than a minute later, Ovechkin’s longest-tenured teammate, Tom Wilson, put the Capitals back ahead.

Wilson’s line put up two more goals with Pierre-Luc Dubois scoring the third and newcomer Alex Tuch adding a fourth before the Pens saw a second-intermission surge.

And when Ovechkin went tumbling to the ice in the third period — shortly after Ryan Leonard scored the Capitals’ fifth goal — his teammates were quick to shove the Penguins players near him. They also shoved off the Penguins’ comeback attempt.

While the Capitals refrained from showing Ovechkin tribute videos, other arenas will feature them throughout the season. Each arena Washington visits will thank Ovechkin for his contributions to the game.

The Capitals, meanwhile, will try to appreciate the spectacle while focusing on something else: creating one more lasting memory by playing into June and chasing the Stanley Cup.

“It’s a huge rivalry and we take two points, it’s a great moment,” Ovechkin said.