Lapierre scores twice in 2nd, lifts Capitals past Senators

WASHINGTON -- Hendrix Lapierre scored two goals in his first game in more than a month, and the Washington Capitals defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-3 at Capital One Arena on Monday.

Lapierre, who was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League on Friday and hadn't played for Washington since Jan. 18, scored back-to-back goals in the second period to give Washington a 6-3 lead.

“I had a blast playing with these guys tonight, and I’ll take the couple bounces and the goals,” Lapierre said after his first multigoal NHL game. “I thought it was a great effort from everyone. It was fun to see guys up and down the lineup contributing.”

Aliaksei Protas had a goal and two assists, and Beck Malenstyn had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (27-21-9), who extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1). Connor McMichael and Anthony Mantha each had two assists, and Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves.

“Through this stretch I think you’re seeing a lot more goals because we’re playing a lot better and we’re doing the right things and going to the right spots,” Washington defenseman John Carlson said. “You get rewarded for that.”

Brady Tkachuk and Shane Pinto each had a goal and two assists for the Senators (25-28-3), who had won two in a row and three of their past four. Anton Forsberg was pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots in the first period. Joonas Korpisalo stopped eight of 10 shots in relief.

"We were just a little flat tonight,” Pinto said. “A tough start kind of put us behind the eight ball. There's no excuses. Just got to play better and start better, so I think that was the main thing.”

Protas gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 6:30 of the first period. He took a pass from Mantha on a 2-on-1, cut in front of Forsberg and scored with his backhand.

Carlson extended it to 2-0 at 8:30 on the power play, scoring on a wrist shot from just outside the right circle following a face-off. The goal came moments after a video tribute honoring Carlson for playing in his 984th game with Washington, the most by a defenseman in franchise history.

“It was a cool little moment,” Carlson said. “Especially after all that. I think it was just one of those things you can’t make up. Good things happen sometimes.”

Drake Batherson cut it to 2-1 at 10:12. During a scramble behind the Capitals' net, Tkachuk poked the puck out to Batherson, who shot past a sprawling Kuemper.

Pinto tied it 2-2 at 12:41 when he deflected Travis Hamonic’s shot past Kuemper. The goal was initially waved off due to a high stick, but after a video review, the call on the ice was overturned.

Max Pacioretty gave Washington a 3-2 lead at 18:33, scoring on a wrist shot from the left circle on the power play.

Malenstyn scored 14 seconds later to make it 4-2 at 18:47, burying a shot from the slot off a pass from Protas following an Ottawa turnover.

"I think [Protas], one of his best games of the season,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “He had three or four instances where he used his size and his frame and his skating to protect the puck, to make a play, even when he had pressure and defenders draped all over him.”

Tkachuk cut it to 4-3 at 1:27 of the second period, scoring on a wrist shot from the left circle off a pass from Vladimir Tarasenko on a 2-on-1.

Lapierre extended it to 5-3 at 1:58 after Ethan Bear’s centering attempt deflected off Malenstyn’s skate to Lapierre, who tipped it in at the right post.

Lapierre then pushed it to 6-3 at 10:55, scoring off a return pass from Mantha on a 2-on-1 rush.

“It just seemed like it was a tough battle tonight,” Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. “When we kind of got close early in the first, then we gave them a couple more. And then in the second we scored one to make it 4-3 and right away they got another one. So, it just seemed like we just couldn’t get any traction. We made some mistakes that were costly.”

NOTES: Carlson (145 goals) passed Sergei Gonchar for the second-most goal by a defenseman in Capitals history. Only Kevin Hatcher (149) has more. … Capitals center Dylan Strome extended his point streak to five games (one goal, seven assists). … Tkachuk (26 goals, 24 assists) has reached the 50-point mark in three straight seasons. The last Senators player to post a longer such streak was Mark Stone (five seasons from 2014-15 to 2018-19). … Ottawa forward Claude Giroux’s eight-game point streak ended (three goals, seven assists).