Ovechkin, Capitals use fast start to top Crosby, Penguins

Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal during Washington's fast start, and the Capitals beat Sidney Crosby and the Penguins 4-3 Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

Ovechkin and Crosby faced off for the 67th time in the regular season. Crosby finished with a goal and an assist, but Washington held on after racing out to a 4-0 lead.

It was the 10th time that Ovechkin and Crosby scored in the same game, and first since a Capitals win in 2018.

Ovechkin got his eighth of the season and No. 830 for his career, which is 65 from passing Wayne Gretzky's league record of 894 goals.

Crosby scored his 21st of the season, a power-play goal in the second period. He has 1,540 points, passing Joe Thornton for 12th on the NHL's career points list. HURRICANES 6, RANGERS 1 >> Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and Pyotr Kochetkov made 28 saves as Carolina won its fourth in a row. Former Ranger Brady Skjei added three assists for the surging Hurricanes. BRUINS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1 >> James van Riemsdyk scored on a power play and added two assists, lifting Boston at Columbus and extending its win streak to four games. Columbus has lost two in a row and five of its last six. FLAMES 3, WILD 1 >> Andrew Mangiapane and Jonathan Huberdeau each scored firstperiod goals for Calgary, and Blake Coleman added an empty-netter as the Flames held on to win at shorthanded Minnesota. PREDATORS 3, BLACKHAWKS 0 >> Gustav Nyquist and Ryan O'Reilly each had a goal and an assist, Juuse Saros made 21 saves and Nashville beat visiting Chicago.

CANADIENS 4, STARS 3 >> Kaiden Guhle and Jordan Harris added to Montreal's NHL-leading 30 goals from defensemen and Sam Montembeault stopped 31 shots as the Canadiens won at Dallas. The Canadiens went 3-3-1 on a season-long seven-game road stretch.