The Ottawa Senators played the Washington Capitals close on Thursday night. However, the Senators fell to the Capitals in overtime thanks to an Alex Ovechkin overtime goal. The game was more notable for Ottawa than the opponent or result,

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It started with a trade between the Bruins and Capitals (and Wild as a third-party broker). The Capitals moved out two pending free agents, Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov, in exchange for a 2023 first-rounder, 2024 third, 2025 second and Craig Smith.

The Capitals will look to keep trending in the right direction against Ottawa, as Jakob Chychrun makes his return for the first time since being traded.

The Ottawa Senators came close as a strong team effort saw them hold the Washington Capitals scoreless through three periods but were unable to secure the win as they fell by a score of 1-0 in overtime.

It wasn't the most exciting showdown between the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators, but instead, a goalie duel between rising starter Logan Thompson and rookie Leevi Meriläinen. Then, Alex Ovechkin did what he does best: steal the show.

Opening faceoff is at 7 p.m. ET and you can watch it on ESPN+ ( plans start at $11.99/month). Washington (29-10-5, in the Metropolitan Division) last played on Tuesday night and beat visiting Anaheim 3-0 as Logan Thompson stopped all 19 shots. The Capitals are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games.

As we pass the midway point of the 2024-25 NHL regular season, a trending topic in hockey circles is who fans and pundits would give their midseason awards to.

The Senators have started climbing up the Eastern Conference standings again with three straight victories ahead of Thursday's encounter with the Washington Capitals. As much as Travis Green's team would love to win its fourth outing in a row, victory will be easier said than done if Thomas Chabot isn't in the lineup.

The Top 100 People of Power & Influence in hockey are featured annually in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue, available at THN.com/free. At No. 8 is Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.

The parade, which has followed the presidential entourage down Pennsylvania Avenue as far back as 1805, will march on inside Capital One Arena on Monday.