WASHINGTON — Under a national spotlight, there was no avoiding the glare.

The clear blue sky above an announced crowd of 42,832 at Nationals Park would have made a beautiful canopy for nearly any sporting event. But not on Thursday afternoon, when a reflective white sheet of ice stretched between first base and third base for the seventh edition of the Winter Classic, which the Washington Capitals won, 3-2, over the Chicago Blackhawks on a goal by Troy Brouwer with 12.9 seconds remaining.

In 2012, there was a two-hour delay to avoid sun glare in Philadelphia, but this game started on time with a temperature of 43.3 degrees, according to the N.H.L.

“For us, the primary issue, if there was to be an issue, was player safety,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “Once we were comfortable that that wasn’t going to be an issue, everyone decided — I decided — it was time to go and play on time.”

Eye black did little to offset the glare, and Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner was the only one to wear sunglasses. The teams switched ends at the 10-minute mark of the first period as shadows from the stands began to cover the ice.