What do you need to know about last night's big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say, "Morning, Joe."

Alex Ovechkin is leading the charge for the Capitals. AP Photo/Nick Wass

Ovie is back: Alex Ovechkin snapped a four-game points drought and helped the Washington Capitals to a dominating 7-1 win over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. Ovechkin was a beast. He scored one goal and used his size, strength and ability, which went unmatched. It's always a big deal when these teams face off. Pittsburgh owns a huge 24-13-2 advantage over the Capitals during the respective careers of Ovechkin and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. On Wednesday, thanks to their captain, the tide turned and the Caps proved the type of game they are capable of playing, especially against the league's best. Capitals coach Barry Trotz continues to hone Ovechkin's world-class skills. No. 8 has been a complete player his entire career, and now under Trotz, Ovechkin has become a team player. Subtle changes in his game have helped the Capitals become one of the top teams in the league. The next step is a Stanley Cup.

It's up to Kucherov: Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is out indefinitely with a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. The Lightning are 35-26-5 in 66 games without Stamkos since November 2013. Why? Because of guys such as Nikita Kucherov. The dynamic 23-year-old forward was outstanding during the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs while Stamkos was sidelined with a blood clot. Kucherov scored 11 goals and added eight assists for 19 points in 17 postseason games. Before this season, he signed a three-year extension worth $4.7 million per season. He has eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 16 games and the Lightning will look to him to continue that production to fill the gap left by Stamkos' absence.

Injury bug swarming: Speaking of injuries, superstars and important players continue to drop at an alarming rate. Aside from Stamkos, significant losses include the Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau (fractured finger, 4-6 weeks), New Jersey Devils' Taylor Hall (torn meniscus in left knee, 3-4 weeks), Colorado Avalanche's Matt Duchene (concussion, day-to-day), Detroit Red Wings' Darren Helm (separated shoulder, 6 weeks), New York Islanders defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (broken jaw, indefinite) and Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth (lower-body injury, 4-6 weeks). Penguins goalie Matt Murray left Wednesday's game with a head injury, but word afterward is that he will return for the next game. The cause of all these injuries? You could be seeing the effects of the compressed schedule caused by the World Cup of Hockey and the new bye week.