Ovechkin scores as Washington uses fast start to beat Crosby and Penguins 4-3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal during Washington’s fast start, and the Capitals beat Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Tuesday night.
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 on Nov. 7, 2018.
Martin Fehervary, Tom Wilson and Beck Malenstyn also scored for Washington, which had dropped four in a row. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves.
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.
The Russian winger also surpassed Ray Bourque for the seventh-most points by a player with one franchise in NHL history.
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.
Washington has points in 11 of its last 14 games overall. It improved to 11-1-6 in games decided by one goal.
Jake Guentzel scored his 17th goal for Pittsburgh, and Rickard Rakell picked up his third. The Penguins had won three in a row.
Tristan Jarry allowed three goals on seven first-period shots before he was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic. Nedeljkovic stopped 14 shots.
The Capitals scored more than two goals in regulation for the first time since a Dec. 14 shootout loss against Philadelphia. The Capitals are 17-0-5 when scoring two or more goals this season.
Wilson stopped an eight-game goal drought just 55 seconds into the first period, converting a wrist shot from the top of the right circle. The Capitals are 10-1-2 when scoring first this season.
Malenstyn made it 2-0 at 11:16 when his centering pass off the rush hit Ryan Graves’ stick and deflected over Jarry’s shoulder.
Fehervary chased Jarry and made it 3-0 just 1:46 later with a soft wrist shot from the high slot. Pittsburgh had one shot on goal at that point.
Chad Ruhwedel appeared to score for Pittsburgh with 3:27 to play in the first, but the goal was overturned after a successful challenge for offsides.
Ovechkin made it 4-0 when he scored from the right point at 19:18, and Rakell scored for Pittsburgh at 19:56. Washington is 10-0 when leading after the first period.
Crosby trimmed Pittsburgh’s deficit to 4-2 with a power-play goal 9:11 into the second. Crosby assisted on Guentzel’s goal at 18:54, which cut the Capitals’ lead to one entering the third period.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Host New Jersey on Wednesday.
Penguins: Visit Boston on Thursday.
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