Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin scored the first two goals of his NHL career against the Columbus Blue Jackets back in October 2005.
When the Capitals visit the Blue Jackets Friday night, he will be looking for two more goals to make history as he sits at 898 for his career. Ovechkin, the all-time NHL goals leader, has one goal in seven games this season.
The Capitals have won five of their past six games and will be playing the first of back-to-back games. The Blue Jackets have split their first six games and carry a two-game winning streak into the contest, the first of a back-to-back for them as well.
Both teams won Tuesday night with the Capitals downing the visiting Seattle Kraken 4-1 and the Blue Jackets winning 5-1 at the Dallas Stars.
Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist for the Capitals and 20-year-old Ryan Leonard scored in his second consecutive game. Aliaksei Protas had two assists, and Logan Thompson made 18 saves as Washington rebounded from its worst effort of the season: a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in which they trailed 4-0 in the second period.
“We challenged our group a little bit and the guys knew just based on what went on on Sunday that we wanted to have a better start,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “It was a little bit sloppy at times, but the first period was good, the second period was even better.”
The Capitals led 1-0 after one period and 3-0 early in the second.
Washington has scored a power-play goal in four consecutive games. Defenseman Jakob Chcyrun, joining the unit for the first time this season, scored off a pass from Ovechkin to make it 3-0 against Seattle.
“That was the first time we rolled that unit, so it was nice to get out there and it felt like we were zipping it well and had some good movement,” Chychrun said. “It’s nice to kind of get some confidence with it and try to build off that from tonight.”
Thompson and Charlie Lindgren will split the back-to-backs in net, but the order is uncertain.
Defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper-body injury) will not travel to Columbus, but forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body) will travel and could return after missing four games.
The Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson each had a goal and an assist against the Stars, and Elvis Merzlikins made 22 saves.
Dallas pulled within 2-1 early in the second before the Blue Jackets pulled away with a three-goal third period.
“We didn’t give up a whole lot,” Columbus coach Dean Evason said. “Obviously they’ve got some special players, and we were able to play the right way and not give up those big scoring opportunities.”
If the Blue Jackets continue their goalie rotation, 24-year-old Jet Greaves (1-2-0 record, 2.04 goals-against average, .928 save percentage) will make the start.
“(Jet’s) doing a great job,” the 31-year-old Merzlikins said. “I think I’m doing pretty good too, so it’s good, I think, for a team to have two good goalies. I let him rest, and he lets me. I’m a bit older than he is, but that’s good.”
The teams split four meetings last season with each team winning once at home and once on the road.
