Kings captain Anze Kopitar, front, turns with the puck as the Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson defends during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael, left, tries to score past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun, left and Kings right wing Adrian Kempe vie for the puck during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, right, shoots as Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson defends during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson, right, celebrates his goal with left wing Alex Ovechkin, center, as Kings right wing Alex Laferriere skates away during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson, right, celebrates his goal with left wing Alex Ovechkin during the first period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome, upper left, tries to score past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, right, as defenseman Jacob Moverare, left, defends during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Washington Capitals’ Ryan Leonard, right, controls the puck as the Kings’ Brandt Clarke (92) and Alex Turcotte defend during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson, below, and Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke collide during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Washington Capitals’ Justin Sourdif, left, skates away from Kings captain Anze Kopitar during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, right, and the Washington Capitals’ Dylan Strome watch an airborne puck during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, left, and Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko battle as the puck is shot past them during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kings defenseman Jacob Moverare, left, and Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime battle for the puck during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson makes a glove save during the second period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kings right wing Quinton Byfield, right, attempts a shot as Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime defends during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Kings’ Quinton Byfield, right, dekes the Washington Capitals’ Dylan Strome during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings left wing Trevor Moore, left, tries to get a shot past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, right, scuffles with Kings right wing Alex Laferriere during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, right, makes a save in front of the Kings’ Corey Perry (10) and Capitals teammate Matt Roy (3) during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Kings’ Quinton Byfield, left, plays the puck in front of teammate Kevin Fiala (22) and the Washington Capitals’ Jakob Chychrun, right, during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, right, makes a glove save as Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko tries to knock it in during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Kings’ Jeff Malott, right, plays the puck in front of the Washington Capitals’ John Carlson during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, top, scores past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Kings’ Adrian Kempe, left, scores a game-tying goal past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe, left, celebrates his goal with defenseman Brian Dumoulin, center, as Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin skates by during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson reacts after the Kings’ Adrian Kempe scored a goal during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson, center, collides with Washington Capitals center Ethen Frank, right, during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kings left wing Jeff Malott, left, and Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehérváry vie for the puck during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, second from right, waits for the puck to come loose as Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko, left, center Anze Kopitar, second from left, center Phillip Danault, third from left, goaltender Darcy Kuemper, below, and defenseman Brandt Clarke stand by during the first period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier, center, celebrates his goal with left wing Alex Ovechkin, right, as Kings left wing Kevin Fiala stands in the crease during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier, below, celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson, left, collides with Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Washington Capitals’ Ethen Frank attempts a shot as Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper defends his net during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, left, shoots the puck while under pressure from Kings right wing Alex Laferriere during the third period on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin, left, and Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier battle for the puck during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas, right, scores into an empty net as Kings left wing Kevin Fiala defends during the third period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Kings captain Anze Kopitar, front, turns with the puck as the Washington Capitals’ Tom Wilson defends during the second period on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — There was a legends night vibe on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena, where Anže Kopitar’s Kings stumbled against Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals, 3-1.
The two captains, who have combined for a staggering 41 seasons of NHL service, each contributed. Kopitar notched an assist and Ovechkin recorded two helpers. Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, while Kopitar closed the gap to 15 points between him and the Kings’ franchise points record-holder, Marcel Dionne.
Adrian Kempe scored the Kings’ lone goal. Darcy Kuemper made 22 saves.
Tom Wilson, Anthony Beauvillier and Aliaksei Protas each picked up a goal for Washington. Logan Thompson stopped 24 shots.
The Kings saw their five-game points streak conclude and have lost five of their past seven outings. Washington won its fifth straight game and its eighth in nine opportunities, among them a 2-1 overtime victory over the Kings on Nov. 17.
“They’re a good team. It was the same kind of battle as it was in Washington, not a lot of things going on,” Kempe said. “We had our chances, but it’s tough to win games when you score one goal.”
With 1:42 to play, the Capitals drove a nail into the Kings’ coffin when Protas danced past Kempe and found the empty net.
Despite an all-around solid game and his promotion to the top power-play unit – the Kings went 0 for 2 with the man advantage – Brandt Clarke forced a shot up top that led to a goal for the second game in a row.
“In the end, we gave one up, basically, on our power play, and I would say that was probably the difference,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said.
Clarke’s attempt was stuffed by Connor McMichael. He cruised down the ice playing pitch-and-catch with Ovechkin, until they were joined by Beauvillier, who nudged in the go-ahead goal 78 seconds into the third period.
“(McMichael) blocked a shot, and I knew it was going to be a two-on-one [rush],” said Ovechkin, who had exited the penalty box after serving Brandon Duhaime’s penalty. “He had the poise to find (Beauvillier), and it was a pretty big goal.”
With 54 seconds left in the second period, Washington took exception to Joel Edmundson’s hit on Ethen Frank, leading to a fight between Edmundson and Duhaime, with Duhaime getting an additional two minutes for roughing.
Despite being more than doubled up in shots, the Kings managed a goal 5:28 into the middle frame to knot the score and enliven their game, ending the period with a 14-8 edge in shots.
On their goal, a strong defensive play along the wall by Clarke separated Beauvillier from the puck, as Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin was caught deep inside the offensive blue line. Trevor Moore collected the puck and eased it up to Kopitar at the opposite blue line. With former King Matt Roy smothering him in the right circle, he still threaded the needle to a streaking Kempe for a redirection, his ninth goal of the season.
“It was the hands of Kopi and the speed of Juice,” said Hiller, who also lauded the defensive play of Clarke to ignite the counterattack.
Through 20 minutes, the visitors held a 12-3 shot advantage and a 1-0 lead thanks to Wilson’s power-play goal, assisted by the 40-year-old Ovechkin and rookie Ryan Leonard. Since Oct. 22, the Kings had allowed the fewest power-play goals in the NHL coming into the game.
Ovechkin heaved the puck from the left-wing wall to the slot for a deflection by Wilson, creating a rebound for Leonard. He managed to get the puck across the crease to Wilson, who tapped it in comfortably for his fourth goal in three games and team-leading 16th of the season. Wilson later crunched Kopitar near the boards in the defensive zone.
“He’s such a big part of our team, when he’s on, everybody’s on, and he sets the tempo every game,” Beauvillier said of Wilson. “He’s such an important piece, and the success he’s having this year speaks for the work he’s put in and the way he’s playing.”
The Capitals all lined up after the game to shake hands with Kopitar, who has announced he will retire at season’s end. That move was initiated by Ovechkin, who described it as a “sad moment” during which he “wished (Kopitar) the best” and “congratulated him on an amazing career.”
“It’s to show respect, obviously,” he said. “It’s a game, but after the whistle, it’s to show respect to him for what he’s done for this game, for this league. It’s just about all respect.”