We don’t know whether this will be Alex Ovechkin’s final season as a Washington Capital or not, but there’s never a bad time to reflect back on two decades of being treated to this amazing talent. So each game day throughout the 2025-26 season, we’re going to be picking an Ovechkin moment to remember against that day’s opponent!
Game-Winning Goal – Game 7, Eastern Conference Final, 5/23/18
The Caps took a huge step in the spring of 2018 when they finally bested their longtime rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the second round of the playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years. They were only halfway through their journey, though, and a very tough Tampa team awaited them in the ECF.
What followed was a tremendously entertaining series, with both teams exchanging punches – the Caps took a 2-0 lead on the road only to see the Bolts snag two in their building, Tampa took a 3-2 lead only to have the Caps storm back in one of their best games of the playoffs in Game 6.
So it all came down to Game 7 for a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup…and there was the Caps’ captain striking first, just over a minute into the opening frame:
That eventual game-winner instantly silenced the Tampa crowd and set the tone for a Caps’ win to take them into that long-awaited Stanley Cup Final.