WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 903rd career NHL goal and the Washington Capitals beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Monday night.
Matt Roy also scored for the Capitals, who ended a two-game losing skid to gain some traction in the standings.
Anze Kopitar scored for lone goal for the Kings, who had won four straight. It was just their second regulation road loss of the season.
Washington, which has been struggling to finish at 5-on-5, opened the scoring early, as Roy got to the front of the net and tipped Aliaksei Protas’ point shot past Darcy Kuemper. It was Roy’s first goal in 25 games, dating back to last season.
In the second period, Ovechkin crashed the crease and got to the front of the net before burying a behind-the-net feed from Connor McMichael. Ovechkin, who now has goals in back-to-back games and three of his last four overall, also passed Gordie Howe for the most regular-season goal scored at a single venue in NHL history with his 442nd goal at Capital One Arena.
Anze Kopitar pulled Los Angeles within one with his third goal of the season with 6:33 left in the second. He tapped in a backdoor feed from Corey Perry on the power play. Washington has now given up a power-play goal in three straight games and five of the last six.
Despite a rally, the Kings couldn’t beat Charlie Lindgren, who stopped 30 of 31 shots for his second win of the season after losing his last four starts.
Kuemper stopped 23 of 25 in the defeat.
Los Angeles played its first game this season without Drew Doughty. He is week to week with a lower-body injury after being injured Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.
Capitals: Host the Oilers on Wednesday.
Kings: Close out a six-game road trip against the Sharks on Thursday.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
