Ovechkin, Caps win 4th in row with 3-2 victory over Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored in the fourth round of a shootout without putting the puck in the net, and the Washington Capitals extended their win streak to four games with a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday.

Ovechkin was skating to his right when Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev threw his stick at the puck, knocking it away from the star winger. Ovechkin was credited with the goal after a review.

Carl Hagelin and Andre Burakovsky scored in the first period for Washington, which is in a tight race with the Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Braden Holtby made 22 saves.

Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Strome scored for New York. The Rangers lost their fourth in a row, including all three on their homestand.

Georgiev made 37 saves, including 20 in the second period. He stopped Ovechkin on a breakaway in overtime.

The Rangers were down 2-1 before they tied it late in the second period. Anthony DeAngelo shot it from the point and Filip Chytil slipped a backhand pass while falling down to Buchnevich, who scored his 13th of the season at 14:20.

The teams, which played a wild 6-5 overtime game a week ago in Washington, got off to another fast start Sunday.

Strome opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the matinee when he took advantage of a turnover by Dmitry Orlov and scored his 11th of the season.

The Capitals answered quickly.

Hagelin skated down the right side and attempted a backhand pass that was blocked. The puck went right back to him and he beat Georgiev for his third of the season. It was his first goal since being acquired in a trade with Los Angeles.

Burakovsky gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead when he skated across the slot and wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle at 10:02 for his ninth of the season.

NOTES: Ovechkin is three points away from 1,200 for his career. … Buchnevich has eight points (four goals, four assists) in the past 10 games. … Brett Howden and Chytil returned to the lineup for the Rangers. Howden is back after missing the past 15 games with an MCL sprain. Chytil was a healthy scratch the past two games. … Academy Award winner Rami Malek was in attendance. Malek won the Best Actor award for “Bohemian Rhapsody” last week.

UP NEXT

Capitals: At Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Rangers: At Dallas on Tuesday night.