Ovechkin fourth fastest to score 600 goals
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored twice to reach 600 goals and Evgeny Kuznetsov had the overtime winner as the Washington Capitals returned to first place by beating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Monday.
Ovechkin scored in each of the first two periods to get to 42 this season. The Russian winger became the 20th player and fourthfastest in NHL history to 600 goals and is on pace to lead the league in goals for the seventh time.
Kuznetsov made it a night of celebration for Washington by scoring on a breakaway 4:11 into overtime.
Ovechkin’s historic performance was crucial on a night when Jets winger Patrik Laine scored his 16th in the past 12 games to get to 41 this season. Nikolaj Ehlers also scored a 4-on-4 goal for Winnipeg, which got 40 saves from Connor Hellebuyck.
Capitals goaltender Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots in his third consecutive start.
The anticipated showdown between the NHL’s top goal scorers lived up to its billing from the drop of the puck. Laine skated with the confidence he has exhibited throughout his recent run.
With the Capitals on a 5-on-3 power play, Ovechkin settled the puck and fired a wrist
shot past Hellebuyck 4:35 into the game. Just 58 seconds later, an inexplicable turnover by Washington’s Lars Eller put the puck on Ehlers’ stick for the tying score.
BLUE JACKETS 5, CANADIENS 2: In Columbus, Ohio, Seth Jones scored two firstperiod power-play goals, and Columbus won its fifth straight.
Nick Foligno, Boone Jenner and Ian Cole also scored, Alexander Wennberg had three assists and Artemi Panarin recorded two assists for Columbus.
Behind a run of eight wins in 11 games overall and a season-high six straight at home — including a just-completed fourgame homestand — the Blue Jackets moved past idle New Jersey into the first wildcard position in the Eastern Conference. Columbus also edged within two points of third-place Philadelphia in the Metropolitan Division.
RANGERS 6, HURRICANES 3: In New York, Jimmy Vesey scored three times, Mats Zuccarello had two goals and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes.
Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for the Rangers, who ended a three-game losing streak and earned their first home win since Feb. 9. Pavel Buchnevich and Mika Zibanejad each had three assists.
Backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev made 41 saves for his second win of the season.
SENATORS 5, PANTHERS 3: In Sunrise, Fla., Matt Duchene scored twice, including the go-ahead goal with three minutes left, to lift the Ottawa Senators over the Florida Panthers.
Magnus Paajarvi also had two goals for Ottawa, and Alexandre Burrows added one late. Craig Anderson made 35 saves, and Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman each added two assists.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Matheson and Evgenii Dadonov scored for the Panthers, who had won eight straight home games. Vincent Trocheck had two assists, but Roberto Luongo allowed five goals on 25 shots.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, FLYERS 2: In Philadelphia, Marc-Andre Fleury made 38 saves to become the 13th goalie in NHL history with 400 career wins, and Ryan Carpenter scored the winning goal with 2:40 left to lead the Vegas Golden Knights over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Erik Haula and William Karlsson also scored for the Pacific Division leaders, who won their third straight and completed a 4-1 road trip.
Fleury, who earned his first NHL win on Oct. 18, 2003, became the third active goalie to reach the milestone, joining Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist.