Capitals 5, Flames 4 (SO): Alex Ovechkin capped a huge night by scoring in the shootout as host Washington erased a pair of three-goal deficits to sink Calgary.

Ovechkin had a pair of goals and assisted on Nicklas Backstrom's tying power-play tally in the third period while Mikhail Grabovski netted the winner in the shootout as the Capitals rebounded from an opening-night loss in Chicago. Michal Neuvirth stopped 27-of-28 shots in relief of Braden Holtby and turned aside both shootout attemtps to send Calgary to its fourth straight season-opening defeat.

David Jones, Lee Stempniak, Jiri Hudler and Lance Bouma scored for the Flames, who bolted to leads of 3-0 and 4-1. Karri Ramo made 35 saves in his first NHL appearance in 4 1/2 years.

The Flames jumped on the Capitals, getting first-period tallies from Jones, Stempniak and Hudler on the power play to end Holtby's night in favor of Neuvirth. New captain Mark Giordano, celebrating his 30th birthday, assisted on two of the goals.

Rookie defenseman Connor Carrick got Washington on the board with his first NHL goal 7 1/2 minutes into the second period, but Bouma answered 95 seconds later. Ovechkin tallied twice in a span of 4:01 to cut the deficit to 4-3 entering the final 20 minutes, and the Capitals finally pulled even when Grabovski slipped a pass to Backstrom, who batted in a shot with 5:50 to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Capitals D Jack Hillen exited with a lower-body injury in the first period as he absorbed a knee-on-knee hit by Bouma and had to be assisted off the ice. Hillen was hurt in the 2012-13 season opener and missed 25 games. ... Flames C Sean Monahan, the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft, collected his first NHL point when he assisted on Jones' goal. ... Washington claimed D Alexander Urbom off waivers from New Jersey and assigned C Michael Latta to Hershey of the American Hockey League.