Ovechkin extends point streak as Caps top Blue Jackets (12-8-18)
By:Ryan Fowler
Headline Graphic Credit: Darrell Owens-LMS Network
COLUMBUS — Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 11 games, and Braden Holtby made 28 saves for the Washington Capitals in a 4-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.
Holtby has two shutouts this season and 34 in nine seasons for the Capitals (17-9-3), who are 9-2-0 in the past 11 games. He credited Washington’s forechecking for limiting Columbus to 10 scoring chances.
“Our team knows you can’t play a soft game against them because they’ll turn it the other way quick,” Holtby said.
Cam Atkinson‘s NHL career-high 12-game point streak ended one game shy of the Blue Jackets record set by Ryan Johansen from Dec. 18, 2014, to Jan. 17, 2015.
Brett Connolly, Dmitrij Jaskin and Travis Boyd also scored for the Capitals, who increased their lead in the Metropolitan Division to three points over the Blue Jackets (16-11-2).
TWIZZLING THE TWINE
Connolly gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal at 1:42 of the first period.
Jakub Vrana‘s stretch pass sent Connolly alone on the right wing, and he skated around the net and pushed a backhand past Sergei Bobrovsky.
Jaskin made it 2-0 at 10:19 with a deflection of a Boyd shot for his first goal for Washington. Jaskin was claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 2.
Ovechkin scored on a redirect from Michal Kempny with 19 seconds left in the first to make it 3-0.
Ovechkin now has 10 goals and six assists during his streak, which is two shy of his NHL-best 13-game streak from Jan. 1-Feb. 1, 2007.
Boyd’s first NHL goal in his 21st game increased the lead to 4-0 at 11:04 of the third period. Ovechkin had the primary assist.
“He feeds me a beautiful pass. I had a wide-open net for my first goal,” Boyd said. “It was pretty cool. Obviously a night I’ll always remember.”
The fourth line of Jaskin, Boyd and Nic Dowd had two goals and two assists. “It was a great team effort,” Jaskin said. “Everybody was on the same page and knew what we wanted to do. The result speaks for itself.”
Bobrovsky allowed three goals on 13 shots in the first period before being pulled. Joonas Korpisalo made 14 saves in relief.
POWER PLAY
Washington has scored at least four goals in eight of the past 10 games… Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov had an assist and has six points (one goal, five assists) in his past five games… Capitals forward Tom Wilson missed his second straight game with a concussion. … Blue Jackets assistant coach Brad Shaw returned to the bench after missing a 4-3 overtime win Thursday at the Philadelphia Flyers while hospitalized two nights for an abdominal issue.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (Dec 11.)
Blue Jackets: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (Dec 11.)
