The Washington Capitals will host the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in their 2026-27 home opener, the NHL announced Wednesday. The game will take place at Capital One Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
The game will likely feature the 101st matchup between Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who are entering their 22nd NHL season.
This year’s home opener marks the sixth time that Washington has hosted Pittsburgh in the home opener and the second time in the last four years. The Capitals won two out of three matchups against the Penguins last season.
NHL officials announced home openers for all 32 franchises on Wednesday. The season will begin when the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes raise a banner before hosting the Florida Panthers on Sept. 29.
The league plans to announce the full schedule — which expands to 84 games for the upcoming season — on Thursday afternoon.
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