Ovechkin scores twice in win
Alex Ovechkin scored two power-play goals, and Matt Niskanen had the winner in the Washington Capitals’ 4-3 overtime victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night in Washington.
Ovechkin has six goals in six games to start the season after scoring 49 last season. He has 24 career goals against Henrik Lundqvist, his most against any goaltender in the NHL.
Niskanen beat Lundqvist 2:18 into overtime, putting the puck into an empty net as Lundqvist lunged to try to stop the shot. John Carlson had Washington’s other goal.
Capitals goalie Braden Holtby stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced in arguably his best game of this season. One of his biggest saves came with time running out in the second period when he denied Kevin Hayes on a short-handed breakaway, and Ovechkin tied up Neal Pionk’s stick to prevent a rebound goal.
Mika Zibanejad, Jimmy Vesey and Chris Kreider scored for New York. DUCKS GET RITCHIE SIGNED, BEAT ISLANDERS >> Anaheim signed holdout forward Nick Ritchie to a three-year contract, then went out and topped the Islanders 4-1 as Ryan Kessler scored twice. The Ducks announced the deal before the win at home.
Ritchie missed the entire preseason and six regularseason games while holding out for a better deal as a restricted free agent. FLAMES 5, BRUINS 2 >> Michael Frolik scored two goals to lead Calgary past visiting Boston. Johnny Gaudreau collected his 100th NHL goal, and rookie defenseman Juusu Valimaki scored his first for the Flames. Matthew Tkachuk added an empty-net goal. Mikael Backlund and Michael Stone each had two assists as Calgary won its second straight at home.
CANADIENS 3, BLUES 2 >> Brendan Gallagher scored with 11 seconds left to give Montreal its third straight victory. Gallagher tipped a loose puck past goalie Jake Allen after jumping on a bad giveaway by defenseman Colton Parayko in front of the net.
Max Domi and Mike Reilly each scored their first goal of the season to help Montreal improve to 4-1-1. Carey Price made 23 saves after missing two games because of the flu.
Vince Dunn and Brayden Schenn scored for St. Louis.
The Blues dropped to 1-3-2. ROOKIE TKACHUK OUT WITH TORN LIGAMENT IN HIS LEG >> The Ottawa Senators will be without Brady Tkachuk for about a month after the rookie winger tore a ligament in his leg. The fourth overall pick at June’s draft missed the first two games of the season with a groin injury before being held off the scoresheet in his debut on Oct. 8. But since then, the 19-year-old had picked up three goals and three assists in three games, including the winner in Monday’s 4-1 victory over the Stars.