Alex Ovechkin opens NHL season with four games without a goal

Alex Ovechkin has gone without a goal in Washington Capitals' first four games of the 2026/27 season. Sport-Express reported that the 41-year-old forward matched his longest goalless start to an NHL regular season.

During that stretch, Washington beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2, lost 3-1 to Tampa Bay Lightning, then defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 and New York Rangers 3-1. Ovechkin contributed one assist.

He also waited until the fifth game to score his first goal in 2012/13, 2023/24 and 2025/26. His current run matches those opening stretches.

Washington's next game is scheduled at home against Seattle Kraken, overnight into October 12 in Moscow time. Ovechkin previously announced that 2026/27 would be his final NHL season.

He needs another 11 goals to exceed Wayne Gretzky's combined regular-season and playoff total. That is a separate measure from the regular-season scoring record Ovechkin has already surpassed.