Capitals' Kuznetsov has another monster night in win
It was surprising to see young winger Evgeny Kuznetsov leading the Washington Capitals in scoring early in the season, but the 23-year-old appears to have no interest in giving up his title.
Kuznetsov had a career night on Tuesday, assisting on his team's final four goals in a 6-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has now recorded seven assists in his past two games, and has 11 points in his last five to rocket into the top five in league scoring.
Last 5 games
| Game | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 19 vs. CBJ | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Jan 17 vs. NYR | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Jan 16 vs. BUF | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 |
| Jan 14 vs. WSH | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Jan 10 vs. OTT | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
In the first of a two-year deal worth just $3 million per season, the young Russian is playing at a huge bargain, and his production is a big reason the Capitals are sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference.
He wasn't the only Capital to have a historic night, either. Braden Holtby, despite giving up three goals, became the first goalie to win 30 of his first 38 games since Chris Osgood accomplished the feet during the 1995-96 season.
Washington will seek its eighth win in nine games Friday when they are visited by former coach Bruce Boudreau and the Anaheim Ducks.