With both teams held scoreless through 60, the Capitals went to overtime for the fifth time in eight games, where Ovechkin scored to secure a 1-0 victory late in the 3-on-3 frame.
The Washington Capitals dropped a 4-3 decision in the shootout against the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center on Monday night.
OTTAWA -- Alex Ovechkin scored his 874th NHL goal at 3:07 of overtime, giving the Washington Capitals a 1-0 win against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.
Pittsburgh's game at Washington on Saturday night will be the 71st regular-season meeting of the team's superstar captains, the Penguins' Sidney Crosby and the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin.