Ovechkin Helps Capitals Win NHL Season Finale
The NHL season finale delivered a fitting storyline in Columbus, where Alex Ovechkin picked up an assist in what could have been the final game of his legendary career as the Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Tuesday night. Ovechkin set up the go-ahead goal late in the third period, and Washington closed its regular season with a hard-fought road win.
It was a meaningful finish to an NHL season finale that carried weight beyond the final score. Ovechkin, who led the Capitals with 32 goals and 64 points, recorded the second assist on Jakob Chychrun’s power-play goal with 4:07 left in the third period. The play gave Washington the lead for good and added one more notable moment to a career already filled with historic milestones.
Capitals close out with a win
Anthony Beauvillier also scored for Washington, while Clay Stevenson made 27 saves to help secure the victory. The Capitals ended the season on a positive note, and the result added another layer to the club’s NHL season finale after a year in which Ovechkin remained the team’s most productive scorer.
For Columbus, Boone Jenner scored the lone goal and Jet Greaves stopped 19 shots. The Blue Jackets finished their own season with a one-goal loss in a game that featured strong goaltending at both ends and a late special-teams swing.
Eastern Conference playoff picture takes shape
Elsewhere around the league, several teams finalized their postseason positioning in the NHL season finale and the closing stretch of the schedule. Carolina beat the Islanders 2-1 to finish atop the Eastern Conference, while Boston locked up the top wild-card spot with a 4-0 shutout of New Jersey. Philadelphia also got a win, topping Montreal 4-2 behind a big night from Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone.
Those results mattered because the race for seeding and first-round matchups was still active on the final night of the regular season. The Hurricanes ended with four wins in their last five games, the Islanders dropped seven of eight, and the Bruins reached the postseason with momentum after Jeremy Swayman’s shutout and David Pastrnak’s 100-point season.
Other playoff-bound clubs finish strong
Minnesota beat Anaheim 3-2 as rookie Jesper Wallstedt made 35 saves and Hunter Haight scored his first career goal. Utah also closed with a statement, defeating Winnipeg 5-3 to claim the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference behind two goals from Nick Schmaltz.
Colorado handled Calgary 3-1, with Gabriel Landeskog scoring the winner and Cale Makar assisting on all three goals in his return from an upper-body injury. Nathan MacKinnon added his league-leading 53rd goal into an empty net, while Blake Coleman scored his 20th for the Flames.
St. Louis produced one of the night’s biggest comebacks, rallying from three goals down to beat Pittsburgh 7-5. Jimmy Snuggerud scored twice and set up both of Dylan Holloway’s third-period goals, while Pavel Buchnevich added a breakaway tally. Pittsburgh had rested Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin with the playoffs approaching.
Vancouver also needed overtime to finish its regular season on a high note, edging Los Angeles 4-3. Jake DeBrusk scored twice, including the winner 2:58 into overtime, and Elias Pettersson added two assists. The Canucks won three straight for the first time since mid-December, while the Kings got goals and assists from Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere.
What the final night says about the season
This NHL season finale showed how much late-season form can matter. Teams like Carolina, Boston, Minnesota, and Utah all entered the playoffs with momentum, while others used the final night to evaluate younger players, rest veterans, or sharpen special teams before the postseason begins.
For Washington, the night will be remembered most for Ovechkin’s possible final appearance and the assist that helped decide the game. Whether it proves to be the last chapter of his career or not, the Capitals left the NHL season finale with a win, and Ovechkin left another imprint on the scoreboard.
