Here's everything to know from the Capitals' 3-2 to the Predators to close out 2023.

WASHINGTON — 2023 hasn't been too kind to Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, and his final game of the year was bittersweet.

Ovechkin scored the game-tying goal to get his team a point, but he had his potential game-winner waved off as the Capitals ultimately fell 3-2 in the shootout.

Here are all the takeaways from the loss, which marks Washington's fourth straight loss.

Alex Ovechkin Scores & Potential Game-Winner Waved Off To Send Things To Overtime; Capitals Get Point In Shootout Loss.

It hasn't been an easy year for Ovechkin, but he's started to turn a corner to close out December. And on Saturday, it paid off with a critical goal at a critical time.

Down 2-1 and seeing another power-play opportunity tick away, Ovechkin got in his prime position in the office and rocketed a one-timer from Dylan Strome past Yaroslav Askarov to make it a 2-2 game.

It marked Ovechkin's seventh goal of the season and his first in regulation since Nov. 18, and he now has two goals in his last five games after going 14 consecutive games without a goal.

Since his NHL debut in 2005, Ovechkin, who also switched back to using a Bauer twig, has scored on 171 different goaltenders (48.3 percent) of the 354 to play an NHL game in that span.

Ovechkin also scored again with 59.5 seconds left in regulation to make it 3-2, but what would have been the potential game-winner was overturned due to goaltender interference from Nic Dowd. That call was initiated by the situation room in Toronto and ultimately waved off.

The Russian needs just 66 more goals to break Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record.

In the end, Washington would go 0-for-2 in the shootout and fall 3-2.

Hunter Shepard Impresses In Call-Up

With Charlie Lindgren hurting, the Capitals had to recall Hunter Shepard from the AHL's Hershey Bears, and he made quite an impression in his first start on home ice with Darcy Kuemper having played the night before.

Shepard was outstanding for Washington, coming up with some key saves at crucial moments.

His best save came shortly after Ovechkin's goal, as he stretched across and made an unbelievable glove save to rob Tommy Novak on a 2-on-1 break and keep the score even.

The 28-year-old finished the night with 32 saves on 34 shots and ultimately helped Washington secure a point. He was 0-for-2 in the shootout.

Beck Malenstyn & Fourth Line Impress As Capitals Finally Manage More Than One Goal While Overcoming A Slow Start

With his team looking for offense and some sparks at 5-on-5 while down 2-0 early, Beck Malenstyn answered the bell, along with his fourth line of Nic Dowd and Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

Malenstyn was a force to be reckoned with, stepping up to challenge the defense and doing what he could to break up plays and get some chances going for his team. He cashed in with his third goal of the season in the first shortly after forcing a turnover, marking the second consecutive night that the fourth line contributed a goal.

Dowd and Aube-Kubel also did a good job of piling on the pressure, connecting on passes and sustaining pressure in the offensive zone.

In the end, their line would help generate more offense, marking the first time in three games that Washington finished with more than one goal.

Ethan Bear Solid In Capitals Debut

After months of recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, Ethan Bear made his Capitals debut on Saturday, and he had a solid showing for his first game in D.C.

Bear started the night on the second pairing with Trevor van Riemsdyk before shifting to play the majority of the night with Rasmus Sandin.

The 26-year-old ended the night with two shots, three blocks and a plus/minus of plus-1, and he also hit the post while logging 20:05 minutes of ice time.

- Top Shelf Takes

- Aliaksei Protas picked up an assist on Ovechkin's goal and now has five assists in his last six outings. His 15 assists this season lead all forwards and rank second on the team.

- No player has had more assists on Ovechkin's goals since the start of the 2022-23 season than Strome, who got the primary helper on No. 8's second-period strike.

- Connor McMichael led Washington with four shots.

- Hendrix Lapierre logged just 7:57 minutes as the team primarily ran with three centers over the course of the game.

- Evgeny Kuznetsov was moved to the wing, with Max Pacioretty not yet ready and the team looking for a spark.