Alex Ovechkin scored the 827th purpose of his NHL profession and the Washington Capitals handed the Columbus Blue Jackets their eighth consecutive loss, 4-3 on Saturday night time.
The Capitals have gained 4 in a row and eight of 10. Ovechkin’s fifth purpose of the season put him 67 again of Wayne Gretzky’s profession file.
Hendrix Lapierre and Aliaksei Protas every had a purpose and two assists. Sonny Milano additionally scored and Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for Washington, which obtained a number of gamers again on the ice.
Anthony Mantha returned from a ruptured left ear drum, Trevor van Riemsdyk got here again from a lower-body damage and Joel Edmundson made his Capitals debut seven weeks after breaking his proper hand in a coaching camp scrimmage.
Dylan Strome arrange Ovechkin’s purpose for his first help this season to go together with his team-leading seven objectives. The Capitals stored profitable regardless of the absence of No. 2 middle Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was changed within the lineup by Lapierre.
Columbus’ skid continued regardless of objectives from Johnny Gaudreau within the second interval and Ivan Provorov and Justin Danforth within the third. Johnny Hockey, benched twice this season by first-year coach Pascal Vincent, ended a seven-game purpose drought.
Provorov’s purpose with 12:59 left stood after Capitals coach Spencer Carbery challenged for goaltender interference. Washington didn’t enable a purpose on the following energy play, extending its streak of profitable penalty kills to 23.
Elvis Merzlikins allowed 4 objectives on 26 pictures. Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner skated in his 675th regular-season NHL recreation, breaking a tie with Rick Nash for essentially the most in franchise historical past.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Visit Philadelphia on Sunday, hoping to halt the Flyers’ profitable streak at 4.
Capitals: Look to increase their profitable streak to 5 after they host the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.
