Laughing through the scare, Capitals ride big win and Brandon Duhaime's eagle moment

Washington rolled 5 to 1 on Friday, leaning on Dylan Strome's two goals and Alex Ovechkin's first of the season, number 898. The shot clock told the story, 45 to 14, with Washington dictating pace and territory.

The off-ice headline flew in right after the horn. Penny the Bald Eagle, in town for the Screaming Eagle third jersey debut, visited the locker room and owned the room like a seasoned captain.

Duhaime tried to play it cool, then blurted a bleep worthy «Holy s***» as Penny spread her wings. Teammates howled, phones popped up, and the video instantly joined the Caps' growing library of delightful chaos.

On the ice, the details were just as tidy. Washington's forecheck stacked layers, forced soft chips, and fed quick exits that created clean entries. The penalty kill went two for two, Logan Thompson tracked well behind a tight slot, while Filip Gustavsson bailed out Minnesota often.

As a fan and an analyst, this is peak hockey culture, a team playing fast and loose, then laughing together in a renovated room that finally feels like home.

That room matters, too. The Capitals' expanded player compound gives them space to recover, review, and reset, and you can feel the comfort in their touches and reads already.

Ovechkin's faceoff-play strike looked familiar, but the sequence only works if wingers win their races and defensemen hold lines. Strome kept stacking good habits, finding pockets between Wild defenders who sagged under Washington's sustained pressure.

The Wild had a push early in the second, and Marcus Johansson briefly equalized. Washington answered immediately, reclaiming the middle, winning net-front, and turning Minnesota's breakouts into punts that died in the neutral zone.

If you are looking for meaning beyond the memes, this is it. The Capitals are four straight wins into their identity, valuing layers, discipline, and a little silliness that makes the grind lighter.

The eagle cameo will loop all weekend, but the takeaway is sturdier. Washington is defending the slot, controlling the puck, and finishing enough to let the postgame party breathe.