Capitals 5, Senators 3
Alexander Ovechkin ended a lengthy slump with a sensational goal late in the third period as the Washington Capitals rallied for a 5-3 win over the host Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.
Having lost three of their previous four games by one goal and facing a similar fate in Ottawa, the Capitals drew even on Nicklas Backstrom's 10th goal of the season near the midway point of the third period. The playmaking center one-timed a wrist shot from the slot past Ottawa netminder Craig Anderson with Washington on a power play.
Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead with a highlight-reel effort with 6:10 remaining, just his second goal in the last 13 games.
The struggling superstar blazed down the left wing, swooping behind the goal and out the right side before stopping suddenly to lose Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson. That gave Ovechkin the space he needed to blast a shot between Anderson's pads for his ninth of the season.
Troy Brouwer made it a two-goal advantage just 15 seconds later, redirecting a Marcus Johansson shot past Anderson.
Milan Michalek's league lead-tying 17th goal of the season trimmed the deficit with 3:52 remaining, but the Capitals held on until John Carlson's empty-netter to improve to 2-3-0 under new head coach Dale Hunter.
Washington's Jeff Halpern and Ottawa's Erik Condra traded goals 10 minutes apart in the second period before Nick Foligno gave the Senators their first lead late in the frame with a great individual effort.
He burst into the Washington zone on the right wing before cutting in front of the goal, maintaining control of the puck and eventually guiding it over the line with one hand on his stick.