Alex Ovechkin scored his 899th career goal and the visiting Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Friday night.
Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer in April, gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead at 1:36 of the third period. Dylan Strome steered a face-off to Ovechkin, who scored his second goal of the season on a wrist shot from just outside the right circle.
Ovechkin, John Carlson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won six of seven. Logan Thompson made 34 saves and had an assist
Denton Mateychuk scored in his second straight game for the Blue Jackets, who had won two straight. Jet Greaves made 25 saves.
Carlson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 18:19 of the second period when he scored on a slap shot through traffic from the point off a pass from McMichael.
After Ovechkin made it 2-0, Justin Sourdif increased the lead to 3-0 just 64 seconds later. Thompson passed a loose puck up to Ryan Leonard, who sent Sourdif in alone on Greaves. Sourdif’s shot went off the left post and bounced off Greaves and into the net.
Mateychuk pulled the Blue Jackets within 3-1 at 10:20 of the third period. After a Washington turnover, Dmitri Voronkov passed to Sean Monahan behind the net and he fed Mateychuk, skating down the slot, for the one-timer.
Voronkov appeared to pull the Blue Jackets within 3-2 at 10:59, but after a video review it was ruled that he kicked the puck into the net.
Mathieu Olivier of the Blue Jackets was called for a five-minute elbowing major later in the period and Washington cashed in twice.
Greaves made a save on Ethen Frank in front, but Tom Wilson knocked in the rebound at 15:39 to make it 4-1, and McMichael batted in a loose puck at 16:37 for the 5-1 final.
