Canucks fall to defending champs
Stecher scores 1st goal of season, but Washington wins 5-2
VANCOUVER — Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and set up two more to lead the Washington Capitals to a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
The defending Stanley Cup champs also got goals from John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov, while T.J. Oshie scored an empty-netter.
Defenceman Troy Stecher and Sven Baertschi responded for the Canucks (5-4-0).
Braden Holtby stopped 22-of-24 shots for Washington (4-2-2), while Vancouver goaltender Anders Nilsson turned away 28 of 33.
The Capitals were first on the board, notching a goal during 4-on-4 play 2:20 into the game.
Jakub Vrana got a pass off to Carlson as the defenceman streaked back from Washington’s end. Carlson then tipped a shot past Nilsson with the puck clinking off the post on the way in.
The Canucks drew even midway through the second, with Stecher winding up and taking a shot from the blue line. Washington’s Nic Dowd tried to glove the puck out of harm’s way but redirected it into his own net. The goal was Stecher’s first of the season.
Less than two minutes later, Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson was sent off for cross-checking, giving the Capitals a man advantage.
Washington went into the game 10-for-26 on the power play, and they showed why.
After a series of quick, crisp passes, Kuznetsov took a slapshot that sailed in past Nilsson.
All five of the Russian centreman’s goals this season have come on the power play.
Washington’s stars struck again with less than 30 seconds to go in the period. The top line peppered Nilsson with shots and the Canucks’ goalie managed to stop a blast from Nicklas Backstom, but couldn’t contain the rebound.
The puck bounced off Ovechkin and into the Vancouver net, putting the Capitals up 3-1. But Vancouver refused to quit. The Canucks started the third period on a power play and right winger Brock Boeser fired a hard shot on Holtby seconds into the frame. The puck bounced off the goalie’s pads and on to Baertschi’s stick.
Holtby didn’t have time to reset before Baertschi fired a rocket past him for his third goal of the year.
Five minutes later, Ovechkin scored his second goal of the night on another Washington power play.
The Capitals’ captain now has eight goals in eight games.
Oshie put on the finishing touch with less than two minutes to go, putting the puck into Vancouver’s empty net on an Ovechkin pass.
The Canucks begin a two-game road swing in Vegas on Wednesday before playing the Coyotes in Phoenix on Thursday.
JETS 5, BLUES 4 (OT)
WINNIPEG — Bryan Little tied it late in the third period and Jacob Trouba scored in overtime to help Winnipeg overcome a two-goal deficit.
Trouba took a pass from Kyle Connor and shot into an open side of the net behind goalie Jake Allen. It was Trouba’s first goal of the season.
Mark Scheifele scored twice and Ben Chiarot added a goal Winnipeg.
Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists for St. Louis, and David Perron, Vince Dunn and Colton Parayko also scored.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for Winnipeg (6-2-1), which has points in five straight games (4-0-1).
Allen stopped 31 shots for the Blues (2-3-3), who finished a three-game trip (1-1-1) through Canada.
AVALANCHE 4, FLYERS 1
PHILADELPHIA — Mikko Rantanen had two goals, Matt Nieto and Gabriel Landeskog also scored, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Monday.
The Avalanche continued their early-season hot streak and finished 3-0-1 on their four-game road trip.