Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
It’s not super uncommon to see the penalty box get a bit crowded when there’s a melee involving multiple players on both teams during a hockey game. However, it is pretty rare to see every single skater on the ice get sent to the sin bin at the same time—which is the exact scenario we were treated to when the Capitals played the Kraken on Sunday.
All eyes are on Alex Ovechkin as he vies to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s record for the most career goals in NHL history, but he’s just one of the reasons the Washington Capitals are sitting atop the Metropolitan Division with a sizeable lead over the rest of the pack and a very realistic chance to secure the Presidents’ Trophy (they’re currently tied with the Jets for the most points in the league at 92 with a game in hand).
There was subsequently plenty of interest in Sunday’s showdown between the Capitals and the Kraken, who headed into the contest sitting at 27-33-4 with around a month to go in what will likely be their second consecutive season without a playoff appearance.
Washington may have had the edge on paper, but we were treated to a pretty competitive contest that saw the teams tied for the bulk of the third period before the Capitals scored what would end up being the game-winning goal with around five minutes left in the game.
There was plenty of excitement prior to that point thanks in no small part to what transpired midway through that frame, as a battle near the boards quickly devolved into a chaotic scene that saw every player on both teams engaged in a scrum that lasted for well over a minute as the officials did what they could to restore order.
BY GAWDDD, THE CAPS AND KRAKEN ARE HAVIN’ A ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH 👊 pic.twitter.com/MnYWix1MHq
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 9, 2025
The dust ultimately settled before the refs handed out a slew of penalties to every single player who was on the ice at the time aside from the goalies.
ESPN
We were subsequently treated to an amazing scene when the broadcast took a look at the penalty boxes that were filled to capacity as the players served their punishment.
There are currently TEN guys in the penalty box between Caps and Kraken 😭 pic.twitter.com/SetJhTSOLo
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 9, 2025
The Capitals ended up walking away with the 4-2 win that was sealed by Ovechkin, who scored an empty netter to get the 1,600th point of his career and now only needs nine more goals to pass Gretzky.