Ovechkin scores twice, Capitals shut out Jets

WASHINGTON --  Alex Ovechkin scored twice in the third period, and Charlie Lindgren made 27 saves for the Washington Capitals in a 3-0 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Capital One Arena on Sunday.

Ovechkin has eight goals during a five-game goal streak, and 848 in his NHL career.

“It was a huge test for it to fight through it, find a way,” said Ovechkin, the Washington captain. “Obviously, the first couple of periods we didn’t play well. ‘Chuckie’ was outstanding today. We find a way in the third.”

John Carlson also scored for the Capitals (35-26-9), who won for the fifth time in six games and moved into the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the idle Detroit Red Wings.

“We’re laying it on the line and it’s great,” Carlson said. “The guys coming together for this push is huge. It’s far from over and we’ve got a lot more work to do.”

Connor Hellebuyck made 16 saves for the Jets (44-22-5), who lost the last three of a five-game road trip, including 6-3 at the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Winnipeg fell four points back of first place in the Central Division when the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 5-4 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It trails the Dallas Stars by two points for second place; Dallas visits the Arizona Coyotes later Saturday.

“We can take a lot more positives out of this game than we did the last couple of games,” Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo said. “The Islanders game was just a big off day everywhere for us, in all aspects of the game. Today was a lot better. We had great legs, we were in on the forecheck, disrupting. We had some really good looks; we just couldn’t pop one in.”

Lindgren kept it 0-0 with a save on Kyle Connor’s one-timer from the slot during a power play at 11:31 of the second period, when the Capitals were outshot 11-3.

“He gives us at least a chance to win that game in the third period and find ourselves for 20 minutes,” Carbery said after Lindgren's fifth shutout of the season. “He made a bunch of unbelievable saves. He was phenomenal. Phenomenal first period, second period, even the third. As good as I’ve seen him all year.”

Carlson gave Washington a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 1:21 of the third, one-timing Max Pacioretty’s feed from the high slot past Hellebuyck.

Ovechkin made it 2-0 at 3:36, shooting a loose puck between Hellebuyck’s pads after a face-off in the right circle. It was his 25th goal of the season.

“We were kind of chomping at the bit there, and then that second [goal] was real fluky,” Jets forward Mason Appleton said. “I don't even know how it ended up going in. But that one was more deflating if anything.”

Ovechkin increased the lead to 3-0 at 12:00, controlling a pass from Dylan Strome with his skate on the rush and deking Hellebuyck before sliding the puck past the Winnipeg goalie.

“When it’s the most important games of the year, where our season’s on the line almost it feels like every night, he’s just delivering in a big way,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said of Ovechkin. “These are big moments, and he’s scoring huge goals for our team to keep us in this thing.”

NOTES: Capitals forward Sonny Milano left the game midway through the first period because of an upper-body injury. Carbery did not have an update. … Washington forward T.J. Oshie had two assists after missing two games because of an upper-body injury. … Carlson has scored in back-to-back games, and a point in five straight (two goals, three assists). … The Jets have not won here since Jan. 22, 2013 (0-7-4). … Connor had a game-high eight shots on goal.