Lightning beat the Capitals 3-1 in home opener
Tampa Bay Lightning center Conor Geekie (94) celebrates after his first period goal during an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken
TAMPA, Fla. — Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves, Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Conor Geekie scored in the first period and the Tampa Bay Lightning won their home opener with a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
Brandon Hagel had two assists for the Lightning, and Jake Guentzel scored into an empty net and had an assist. Tampa Bay opened play Thursday night in New York with a 5-1 loss to the Rangers.
Charlie Lindgren finished with 27 saves for Washington. Justin Sourdif scored for the Capitals.
D'Astous put Tampa Bay up 1-0 at 2:26 of the opening period as he cut down from the point into the middle slot to take a pass from Brandon Hagel and zipped a wrist shot past Lindgren.
The Lightning finished off the period with a goal from Geekie, who was off the right wing side to take a pass from Hagel for a quick shot to the inside of the post with 3:30 top go for a 2-0 lead.
The Capitals, who opened Friday with a win in Carolina, cut the deficit in half in the second period on a redirect from Sourdif off a point shot from Jacob Chychurn.
Guentzel scored with 2:05 left in the third.
Washington Capitals center Justin Sourdif (34) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken
Washington played the third period without defenseman Matt Roy, who suffered a lower-body injury and did not return.
Tampa Bay defenseman John Carlson, who spent 17 seasons with the Capitals, played his first career game against Washington, picking up an assist on the empty-net goal.
Up next
Capitals: Host Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.
Lightning: Host Philadelphia on Monday night.
