Caps blank Blackhawks, 6-0
WASHINGTON -- Braden Holtby picked up his third shutout in nine days, Jay Beagle scored twice, and the Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 Friday night at Verizon Center for their eighth straight win.
Tom Wilson had a goal and two assists, and T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom each notched a goal and an assist for Washington (28-9-5). Brett Connolly and Tom Wilson also scored for Washington, while Lars Eller and Nate Schmidt each had two assists for the defending Presidents' Trophy winners.
It was Beagle's fourth career two-goal game and second this season against the Blackhawks.
Holtby stopped 24 shots for his sixth shutout of the season, and has not been reached for an even-strength goal in any of his last five starts.
Corey Crawford made 25 saves for Chicago (27-13-5), which had won four straight. Crawford was lifted in favor of Scott Darling after Oshie's shot deflected in off Niklas Hjalmarsson at 8:11 of the third period to make it 5-0.
Washington got three goals from three different lines in the opening period.
Beagle made it 1-0 at 5:04 when his wrist shot from the top of the left circle skittered through Crawford's pads. It was the seventh of the season for Beagle, who had two goals in the teams' Nov. 11 meeting.
Washington doubled its lead 13 seconds later on a pretty passing sequence started by Alex Ovechkin. He skated in along the left boards and centered to Oshie, who rather than shooting, backhanded a pass over to a streaking Backstrom, who one-timed a shot past Crawford for his 12th goal.
Connolly closed on the first period scoring with 2:11 left. Eller couldn't get good wood on a loose puck in front of Crawford and, as the puck slid to the right of Crawford, Connolly came out from behind the net and banged it home.
Chicago had the better of the chances early in the second period and appeared to score at 6:32 when Duncan Keith's shot deflected off a Washington player and across the ice to Vinnie Hinostroza, who fired it home. Capitals head coach Barry Trotz challenged the play however and, after a review, it was ruled that Marian Hossa interfered with Holtby as the goalie slid across the crease.
The Blackhawks were stymied again midway through the period when Andrew Desjardins' blast from the right circle beat Holtby, but clanged off the post.
Wilson made it 4-0 with 2:59 left in the second when he tapped in a cross-ice pass from a falling Nate Schmidt just after Washington killed off a Chicago power play.
NOTES: The Capitals announced that Sunday's home game against the Flyers has been moved from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on NBC. ... Washington D Karl Alzner played in his 500th consecutive game, becoming just the third NHL defenseman since the 1943-44 season to achieve that feat. ... D Taylor Chorney was scratched for Washington. ... Blackhawks winger Richard Panik (10 goals, eight assists) has set a career high for points in a season. ... C Marcus Kruger (upper body injury) and D Michael Kempny were the Chicago scratches. ... Capitals coach Barry Trotz (1,402) passed Ron Wilson for seventh place on the NHL games coached list.