Raanta stops 35 shots, Coyotes keep Ovechkin at 698 goals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Antti Raanta stopped 35 shots to keep Alex Ovechkin at 698 career goals, Phil Kessel scored early in the third period, and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Saturday night.

Raanta was sharp all night and made a tough early save against Ovechkin, who has gone four straight games without a goal for the first time this season. He went three games without a goal before notching No. 600 with his wife in the stands in 2018.

Christian Dvorak scored his 18th goal in the second period and Kessel redirected a shot past Braden Holtby on a power play in the third. Lawson Crouse capped it with an empty-net goal.

Holtby stopped 28 shots and Carl Hagelin scored for Washington.

The Capitals had their eighth multi-goal comeback on Thursday, rallying from a 2-0 hole to beat Colorado 3-2.

Ovechkin failed to score against the Avalanche, leaving him at 698 goals since scoring three in the third period against the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4.

He had some good early chances against Arizona.

Raanta stopped Ovechkin’s slap shot on a power play in the opening four minutes and the post stopped him from getting No. 699 in the second period. Raanta made another tough save on a quick-release shot by Ovechkin after Kessel’s goal.

Both goalies were sharp early, turning away numerous good scoring chances in a scoreless first period.

Raanta stopped Ovechkin on the early power play and slid over to stop T.J. Oshie on a 2-on-1. Holtby was just as good, sprawling for a kick save on a shot by Derek Stepan and another close-range chance by Dvorak.

Dvorak finally got one past Holtby shortly after that, gathering the puck with his back to the goalie, turning and slipping it through his pads.

Hagelin tied it late in the second period, punching in a rebound after Raanta did the splits to stop a shot by Travis Boyd.

Kessel put the Coyotes up 2-1 on a power play early in the third period, redirecting Jacob Chychrun’s shot for his 13th of the season.

Raanta turned away a flurry of shots in the final two minutes after Washington pulled Holtby.

NOTES: Coyotes D Jordan Oesterle played his 200th career NHL game. … Capitals C Evgeny Kuznetsov missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. … The Coyotes have scored in the second period in 11 straight games. … Oshie limped off after being hit by a shot in front of Arizona’s goal, but came back out for his next shift.

UP NEXT

Washington: At Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.

Arizona: Hosts New York Islanders on Monday.

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