Letestu scores in return to Blue Jackets, helps top Capitals

COLUMBUS --Mark Letestu made a good first impression to start his second stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets when he scored in a 5-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena on Monday.
Cam Atkinson and Seth Jones each had a goal and two assists for Columbus (32-26-5), which has won its past two games and moved four points ahead of the New York Islanders for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Letestu, acquired from the Nashville Predators as part of a three-way trade on Sunday, gave the Blue Jackets a 3-1 lead at 14:42 of the first period with his ninth goal of the season. Letestu played for the Blue Jackets from 2011-15 and the past three seasons with the Edmonton Oilers.
WATCH: [All Capitals vs. Blue Jackets highlights]
"When you come over at the (trade) deadline, you want to contribute right away," Letestu said. "That's a way to earn respect from the guys in the room. To get a goal certainly made me feel part of the team right away."
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets. Sonny Milano also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 39th goal for Washington (35-21-7), which fell into second place in the Metropolitan Division following the Philadelphia Flyers' 1-0 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens. The Capitals are one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ovechkin played his 984th game, the most in Capitals history, breaking a tie with Calle Johansson.
Braden Holtby made 12 saves on 16 shots in the first period. Phillip Grubauer made 18 saves over the final two periods.
Holtby is 0-4-2 in his past six starts.
"I've had him for four years. I have a lot of confidence in him," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "He's been a good goaltender for a long time."
The Blue Jackets were energized not only by the trade for Letestu, but also the additions of defenseman Ian Cole from the Ottawa Senators and forward Thomas Vanek from the Vancouver Canucks, who were acquired Monday. Cole arrived in time to play and had 16:48 of ice time; Vanek will join the Blue Jackets for their game at the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
"Everyone was really excited to play," Milano said. "I never really heard it so loud in here before."
Panarin's power-play goal gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 5:31 of the first period.

Ovechkin responded with a power-play goal at 6:57 to make it 1-1. He is three goals shy of becoming the 20th player to score 600 NHL goals.
Milano, recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Monday, scored at 7:53 to make it 2-1 with a backhand shot from the slot.
"I don't think many guys in our team can score that goal," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said.
Letestu and Calvert were reunited on the same line and combined on the Blue Jackets' third goal when Calvert passed to Letestu in the slot.
Jones scored on the power play at 18:17 of the first for a 4-1 lead.

The Capitals failed to convert on a three-minute power play after Calvert was given a match penalty for getting his stick into Ovechkin's face at the end of the first period.
"If we score there the game could have been different, but we didn't," Ovechkin said.
Atkinson scored an empty-net goal while shorthanded at 17:18 of the third to make it 5-1.

Goal of the game

Milano's goal at 7:53 of the first period.

Save of the game

Bobrovsky's save against Ovechkin at 3:14 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

Letestu's goal at 14:32 of the first period.

They said it

"They were winning all the puck races, all the battles. They got some opportunities and capitalized on their opportunities. We didn't give ourselves a chance because we didn't match their enthusiasm and determination." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
"Our decision making with the puck in the neutral zone and our decision making as far as staying above the puck when we don't have it in the neutral zone was really good and it gave us a chance of stopping their speed through it." -- Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella

Need to know

Ovechkin has six points (two goals, four assists) during a five-game point streak. … The Capitals had a seven-game point streak (5-0-2) at Nationwide Arena end. … Panarin has six points (three goals, three assist) during a five-game point streak.

What's next

Capitals:Host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, TSN5, RDS, NHL.TV)
Blue Jackets:At the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; SN1, FS-W, FS-O, NHL.TV)