Ovechkin scores 2 more but leaves Capitals win against Utah Hockey Club

SALT LAKE CITY -- Alex Ovechkin scored twice before leaving in the third period with an apparent left leg injury, and the Washington Capitals defeated the Utah Hockey Club 6-2 at Delta Center on Monday.

Ovechkin, who has five goals in the past two games, left at 5:30 of the third and did not return following a collision with Utah forward Jack McBain.

“He’s being evaluated as we speak and we’ll know more tomorrow,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said.

Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (13-4-1), who won their third in a row and extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1). Charlie Lindgren made 24 saves.

McBain and Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah (7-8-3), which has lost five of seven (2-4-1). Connor Ingram allowed four goals on 13 shots being replaced early in the second period by Karel Vejmelka, who stopped nine of 11 shots in relief.

“Right now, we’re not getting enough from anybody,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “We’re getting possession, shots, stuff like that, but we don’t finish.”

The Capitals killed all seven Utah power plays and are 22-for-23 on the penalty kill in eight road games (95.7 percent), the highest percent away from home in the NHL.

“A lot of grit, I mean that's what it's all about in the penalty kill,” Lindgren said. “We’ve got good structure too, made some big blocks, we got pucks out when we needed it. To me, the penalty kill is all about character and just the will to win battles, and we’ve got guys that are willing to do that.”

McBain gave Utah a 1-0 lead at 3:05 of the first period, knocking in a rebound past Lindgren.

Strome tied it 1-1 at 7:46 after banking a shot off the back of Ingram’s skate.

Nic Dowd scored ten seconds later to put Washington ahead 2-1 at 7:56, scoring off a cross-ice pass from Duhaime.

“I think that guys have been making plays in the O-zone,” Dowd said. “[Strome] makes a great play on the goal, [Duhaime] makes a great play on my goal, and then guys are taking advantage of the opportunities. I don’t think we are creating more than we did last year, but I also think guys are doing a better job of finishing.”

Ovechkin extended it to 3-1 at 11:05 on a wrist shot from the high slot off a pass from Pierre-Luc Dubois. He then made it 4-1 with his second goal of the game and NHL-leading 15th of the season during a 5-on-3 power play at 5:38 of the second period.

Ovechkin, who scored a hat trick in a 5-2 win at the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, has 868 career goals. He is 27 away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals.

“He's been phenomenal this year, leading the charge in our team, not only from a leadership standpoint and in the locker room but on the ice as well,” Carbery said. “In times where you need these types of games, you need guys to step up and score or make a big play, and he's continued to do that (is) and off to a phenomenal start this year.”

Bjugstad cut it to 4-2 at 11:44 off a rebound of Nick Schmaltz’s shot.

“It’s a long season,” Utah forward Lawson Crouse said. “We [have to] really learn from it and find a way to move on.”

Duhaime pushed it to 5-2 at 7:30 of the third period, scoring from the goal line past the shoulder of Vejmelka.

Aliaksei Protas scored at 9:56 for the 6-2 final.

“Resiliency, competitiveness, passion, and fire. We just wouldn't go away,” Carbery said. “It still wasn't ideal, but given the circumstances; on the road, back-to-back, you knew it wasn't going to be a pretty win if we were going to get two points, and I feel like we just had to grind it out.”

NOTES: Ovechkin (39 years, 62 days) is the oldest player in NHL history to be the League’s first skater to 15 goals in a season. Prior to Ovechkin, the oldest player was Frank Mahovlich (33 years, 304 days on Nov. 10, 1971). … Ovechkin scored against Ingram for the first time in his career to give him a goal against 178 goaltenders, tying him with Jaromir Jagr for the most in NHL history. … Ian Cole had an assist for his 200th NHL point (35 goals, 165 assists) in 844 games.