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Capitals put Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve, ruling him out at least a week
Read full article: Capitals put Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve, ruling him out at least a weekThe Washington Capitals put Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve and recalled fellow Russian winger Ivan Miroshnichenko from the minors.
Capitals' Alex Ovechkin is week-to-week with a leg injury amid chase for NHL career goals record
Read full article: Capitals' Alex Ovechkin is week-to-week with a leg injury amid chase for NHL career goals recordAlex Ovechkin is considered week-to-week after injuring his lower left leg in the Washington Capitals' most recent game at Utah.
Ovechkin scoring another game-winning goal for the Capitals comes as no surprise to the Predators
Read full article: Ovechkin scoring another game-winning goal for the Capitals comes as no surprise to the PredatorsAlex Ovechkin scored his 130th career game-winning goal to keep his hot streak going, the Washington Capitals winning and the Nashville Predators losing.
Flyers' Matvei Michkov leads the latest infusion of Russian talent into the NHL
Read full article: Flyers' Matvei Michkov leads the latest infusion of Russian talent into the NHLMatvei Michkov is in the NHL ahead of schedule after the Philadelphia Flyers got him out of Russia and to North America a little over a year after taking him with the seventh pick in the draft.
Rangers finish off sweep of the Capitals, move on to the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs
Read full article: Rangers finish off sweep of the Capitals, move on to the 2nd round of the NHL playoffsThe New York Rangers have advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs after finishing off a sweep of the Washington Capitals with a 4-2 victory in Game 4.
Special teams carry Rangers to a Game 3 win and a 3-0 series lead on the Capitals
Read full article: Special teams carry Rangers to a Game 3 win and a 3-0 series lead on the CapitalsThe New York Rangers are one win away from the advancing after beating the Washington Capitals 3-1 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.
'Struggling' Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is hoping patience pays off soon against the Rangers
Read full article: 'Struggling' Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is hoping patience pays off soon against the RangersAlex Ovechkin has just one shot on goal through two games of the Washington Capitals’ first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers, which they trail 2-0.
Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad lead Rangers to 4-3 win over Capitals for 2-0 series lead
Read full article: Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad lead Rangers to 4-3 win over Capitals for 2-0 series leadVincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers held on to beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
NHL playoff race heats up as the Capitals, Flyers and Red Wings are vying for 2 spots in the East
Read full article: NHL playoff race heats up as the Capitals, Flyers and Red Wings are vying for 2 spots in the EastWhile the eight playoff teams in the NHL's Western Conference are all but settled, the race is on in the East, with three teams vying for two spots.
Alex Ovechkin is on his longest goal-scoring streak in years. Talk of the Gretzky record is back
Read full article: Alex Ovechkin is on his longest goal-scoring streak in years. Talk of the Gretzky record is backAlex Ovechkin has scored a goal in five consecutive games to make it his longest streak in nearly three years.
Nicklas Backstrom is unlikely to play again this season, Capitals GM Brian MacLellan says
Read full article: Nicklas Backstrom is unlikely to play again this season, Capitals GM Brian MacLellan saysWashington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan says it's unlikely Nicklas Backstrom plays again this season.
Ovechkin passes Howe with No. 787; Coyotes beat Capitals 3-2
Read full article: Ovechkin passes Howe with No. 787; Coyotes beat Capitals 3-2Alex Ovechkin scored his 787th career goal to break Gordie Howe’s record for scoring with one team, but the Arizona Coyotes scored three times in the third period to rally for a 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin ties Howe's mark, Red Wings beat Capitals 3-1
Read full article: Ovechkin ties Howe's mark, Red Wings beat Capitals 3-1Alex Ovechkin tied Gordie Howe for the most goals scored for one NHL team and Andrew Copp had a go-ahead goal with 3:50 left, helping the Detroit Red Wings beat the Washington Capitals 3-1.
Ovechkin becomes oldest player to score 50 goals in a season
Read full article: Ovechkin becomes oldest player to score 50 goals in a seasonWashington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin enjoyed the biggest moment of his career inside T-Mobile Arena in 2018, when he skated the Stanley Cup around the rink after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final.
James passes Malone, but Lakers blow lead in loss to Wizards
Read full article: James passes Malone, but Lakers blow lead in loss to WizardsLeBron James passed Karl Malone for second place on the NBA’s career scoring list, but it was part of another loss for his Los Angeles Lakers when the Washington Wizards rallied from a 16-point deficit to win 127-119.
Ovechkin now 3rd on NHL goals list, Caps beat Isles in SO
Read full article: Ovechkin now 3rd on NHL goals list, Caps beat Isles in SOAlex Ovechkin scored his 767th goal to pass Jaromir Jagr for third on the NHL career list in the Washington Capitals’ 4-3 shootout victory against the New York Islanders.
Giroux named MVP, Metropolitan team wins NHL All-Star Game
Read full article: Giroux named MVP, Metropolitan team wins NHL All-Star GamePhiladelphia captain Claude Giroux scored three goals and the Metropolitan Division beat the Central Division 5-3 in the final 3-on-3 match of the NHL All-Star Game.
Ovechkin, McDavid, Draisaitl headline NHL All-Star roster
Read full article: Ovechkin, McDavid, Draisaitl headline NHL All-Star rosterWashington star Alexander Ovechkin and high-scoring Edmonton teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl headline the rosters for the NHL All-Star Weekend announced Thursday.
Ovechkin scores 750th career goal, Capitals beat Columbus
Read full article: Ovechkin scores 750th career goal, Capitals beat ColumbusAlex Ovechkin scored his 20th goal of the season and the 750th of his NHL career to help the Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 and snap a two-game skid.
Hathaway scores twice, Capitals snap Kings' point streak 2-0
Read full article: Hathaway scores twice, Capitals snap Kings' point streak 2-0Garnet Hathaway a pair of goals during a two-minute span in the third period and the Washington Capitals snapped the Los Angeles Kings eight-game point streak with a 2-0 victory Wednesday night.
Ovechkin ties Hull for 4th all-time; Caps down Sabres 5-3
Read full article: Ovechkin ties Hull for 4th all-time; Caps down Sabres 5-3Alex Ovechkin scored his 741st career goal to tie Brett Hull for fourth on the NHL’s all-time list and help the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Vasilevskiy, Cirelli help Lightning end Capitals' streak
Read full article: Vasilevskiy, Cirelli help Lightning end Capitals' streakAndrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves, Anthony Cirelli had a goal and two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat Washington 3-2 to end the Capitals’ eight-game season-opening point streak.
Ovechkin scores twice, Capitals beat Rangers 5-1 in opener
Read full article: Ovechkin scores twice, Capitals beat Rangers 5-1 in openerWhile the fisticuffs never materialized, the Washington Capitals made a season-opening 5-1 victory against the division-rival New York Rangers memorable for Alex Ovechkin’s 731st and 732nd goals and Hendrix Lapierre’s first.
Bruins score 3 PPG, beat Capitals 4-1 for 3-1 series lead
Read full article: Bruins score 3 PPG, beat Capitals 4-1 for 3-1 series leadDavid Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle scored 34 seconds apart to break the game open early in the third period and give Boston to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals.
Smith scores in 2nd OT to lead Bruins past Capitals 3-2
Read full article: Smith scores in 2nd OT to lead Bruins past Capitals 3-2Craig Smith scored 5:48 into the second overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals and a 2-1 lead in their East Division first-round playoff series.
Capitals beat Flyers in overtime, Penguins win East Division
Read full article: Capitals beat Flyers in overtime, Penguins win East DivisionConor Sheary scored the overtime winner and the short-handed Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 to guarantee they’ll open the playoffs at home.
Capitals hold on to beat Rangers for 10th win in 11 games
Read full article: Capitals hold on to beat Rangers for 10th win in 11 games(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Capitals players and coach Peter Laviolette sounded as if they'd lost after holding on to beat the New York Rangers 5-4 Sunday. Washington has won 10 of 11 games to move two points up on the second-place New York Islanders and looks primed for another deep playoff run. “If there’s a trend, we want to address it,” said Wilson, who has five points in four games since returning from a seven-game suspension. And their best players are producing: Ovechkin has 11 goals in 11 games and leads the team with 18; Kuznetsov has 12 points in 10 games and Jakub Vrana picked up his first point in five games. Keith Kinkaid made 17 saves for the Rangers, who have lost back-to-back one-goal games after a three-game winning streak.
Ovechkin scores twice, red-hot Capitals shut out Devils 4-0
Read full article: Ovechkin scores twice, red-hot Capitals shut out Devils 4-0Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal with the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Friday, March 26, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin scored twice, Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves and the Washington Capitals rode their best players to a 4-0 victory Friday night and two-game sweep of the New Jersey Devils. Ovechkin has scored 10 times in his past 10 games and has a team-best 17 goals this season. “He’s probably the hottest guy in the league now, but it seems like every shot he takes is dangerous. Thank you, team.”With Ovechkin rolling, the Capitals have won nine of their past 10 games and are back atop the East Division.
Ovechkin scores 2 in final 7 minutes, Capitals beat Rangers
Read full article: Ovechkin scores 2 in final 7 minutes, Capitals beat RangersOvechkin scored two rebound goals in the final seven minutes to give the Washington Capitals their seventh consecutive victory by coming back to beat the New York Rangers 2-1 on Friday night. He has scored in five in a row and has seven goals in the past seven games. “We liked he way we played for the most part," Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba said. LINDGREN DELIVERSWhile Washington players jawed at Lindgren plenty after his open-ice hit on Ovechkin midway through the second period, Ovechkin himself had no issues with it. “It was a great hit," Ovechkin said.
Ovechkin matches Esposito with 717th goal; Caps rout Sabres
Read full article: Ovechkin matches Esposito with 717th goal; Caps rout SabresOvechkin matched Phil Esposito for sixth on the NHL list with his 717th goal and the Washington Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-0 on Monday night. Vitek Vanecek stopped 23 shots for his first NHL shutout and improved to 4-0-1 against the Sabres. Backstrom’s 11th goal of the season came in his 984th game with the Capitals, passing Calle Johansson for second-most games in franchise history. Hutton made 24 saves for Buffalo, which is 0-9-2 in its past 11 games, the third-longest skid in team history. AdThe Sabres recalled center Rasmus Asplund from the taxi squad and sent defenseman Brandon Davidson to the taxi squad.
Capitals' Ovechkin fined $5K for spearing Bruins' Frederic
Read full article: Capitals' Ovechkin fined $5K for spearing Bruins' FredericWashington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) checks Boston Bruins right wing Chris Wagner (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, March 3, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)NEW YORK – Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was fined $5,000 by the NHL on Thursday for spearing Boston Bruins rookie Trent Frederic, an amount that is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. Ovechkin was given a minor penalty for slashing and Frederic one for cross-checking on the play. Bruins teammates credited Frederic for helping spark a comeback victory in that game. The respect I give him is just by playing him hard.”AdThe Capitals had the day off Thursday.
Washington Capitals take 3-0 lead, beat NJ Devils 5-2
Read full article: Washington Capitals take 3-0 lead, beat NJ Devils 5-2Washington Capitals right wing Garnet Hathaway (21) scores a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)NEWARK, N.J. – Garnet Hathaway and Daniel Sprong scored in the opening 5:06, the streaking Washington Capitals built a big lead and held off the slumping New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Saturday. Nico Hischier and Pavel Zacha each scored for the second consecutive game for New Jersey, which has lost four of five. The Capitals, who rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat New Jersey last Sunday, learned from that game and started fast. Vanecek, playing in his 16th game, made at least three good saves early in the third period to keep Washington ahead. NOTES: The Devils presented C Travis Zajac a silver stick before the game for playing his 1,000th game last weekend.
T.J. Oshie scores twice, Capitals come back to beat Devils
Read full article: T.J. Oshie scores twice, Capitals come back to beat DevilsWashington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – T.J. Oshie scored twice to end a lengthy drought, Alex Ovechkin had a late power-play goal and the Washington Capitals came back from down two to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Sunday. Anderson and New Jersey's Aaron Dell each hadn't started an NHL game in more than 11 months. The Capitals and Devils each played at home Saturday afternoon, so this adjustment was possible. Samsonov got two minor league rehab starts but hasn't played an NHL game since Jan. 17.
Crosby plays 1,000th game as Penguins top Islanders 3-2
Read full article: Crosby plays 1,000th game as Penguins top Islanders 3-2(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – It was one special day for Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby — from the beginning to the very end. Crosby had two assists in his 1,000th NHL game, and the Penguins beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Saturday night. “Every win is good, but to get it for (Crosby) on his 1,000th game is special,” Letang said. Crosby entered his 1,000th game with the eighth-most points in NHL history through 1,000 games. 87 jersey to recognize their captain before his 1,000th NHL game.
Laughton's 1st hat trick lifts Flyers past Capitals, 7-4
Read full article: Laughton's 1st hat trick lifts Flyers past Capitals, 7-4(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Scott Laughton scored his first career hat trick, Sean Couturier had two goals in his first game back following a rib injury and the Philadelphia Flyers pulled away for a 7-4 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday. “It’s a big win after losing those two games the way we did to Boston,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said. Laughton completed his hat trick to give the Flyers insurance on another rebound after Anderson’s pad save of Farabee, and Couturier added a late empty netter. MILESTONESFlyers: Van Riemsdyk contributed his 100th assist across two stints with the Flyers on Laughton's second goal. AdUP NEXTThe Capitals and Flyers meet again in Washington on Tuesday night.
Bruins erase 3-goal deficit against Capitals, win 5-3
Read full article: Bruins erase 3-goal deficit against Capitals, win 5-3Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal with the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Washington. Buoyed by their top scorer's first two goals of the season and a big rookie's fight against one of the toughest players in hockey, the Bruins erased a three-goal deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Monday night. “In the box, I was like a little kid in there just jumping around when we scored,” Frederic said. The Capitals had front-row seats for Pastrnak's breakout performance in his second game after undergoing offseason hip surgery. Former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara scored in his second game against his old team.
Ovechkin returns, scores in OT as Capitals beat Bruins
Read full article: Ovechkin returns, scores in OT as Capitals beat BruinsWashington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, celebrates his game-winning goal in overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Washington. In his first game since Jan. 19, Ovechkin scored in overtime to help the Washington Capitals beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 Saturday night in a showdown between the top teams in the NHL’s East Division. After Ovechkin missed the previous four games because of COVID-19 protocols, the high-scoring forward showed his career-long flair for the dramatic by beating Tuukka Rask with a perfect shot 28 seconds into overtime. “It was fun,” said Ovechkin, who also had an assist while being eased back in with 14 minutes of ice time. The Capitals beat the Bruins for the 17th time in 19 regular-season games dating to 2015.
'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season
Read full article: 'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL seasonSan Jose's Erik Karlsson (65) handles the puck against Minnesota Wild's Nick Bjugstad (27) in the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in St. Paul, Minn. San Jose won 5-3. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)With an outbreak delaying the Dallas Stars' opener, Rick Bowness got to watch a lot of hockey in the first couple of nights of the NHL season. “It was entertaining hockey, but it was a little sloppy,” Bowness said. “We’re staying in 5-star hotels, get to play hockey, so I can’t complain,” defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said. Ad___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Short-handed Capitals beat Sabres 4-3 in SO in home opener
Read full article: Short-handed Capitals beat Sabres 4-3 in SO in home opener“I wasn’t thinking about it," Vanecek said of his first NHL shootout. “We want to win hockey games in good ways and feel good about ourselves,” Dowd said. Buffalo rookie Dylan Cozens scored his first NHL goal on a top-shelf snipe past Vanecek in the second period. The Capitals were fined $100,000 Wednesday for breaking league rules since those four players were together in a hotel room not wearing masks. Goaltender Carter Hutton didn’t travel with the team because of an apparent head injury from a collision Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Canes' season paused, while Caps play on without 4 regulars
Read full article: Canes' season paused, while Caps play on without 4 regularsFor Peter Laviolette, his Washington Capitals will keep playing for the next week without four prominent players who broke the rules. There's no indication the Capitals are being shut down, though they will have to play the next four games without captain Alex Ovechkin, No. The NHL defers to local authorities, and the minimum four games for the Capitals players relates to the District of Columbia's quarantine regulations. The Hurricanes have so far had three games postponed because of their outbreak and won't play for at least a week. I think that’s really what we’re going to find out.”___AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard and Stephen Hawkins contributed.
Ovechkin on COVID list, Caps fined $100K; Canes games off
Read full article: Ovechkin on COVID list, Caps fined $100K; Canes games offFive players from the Carolina Hurricanes also are on the list and that team’s games were called off by the league through “at least” Saturday. The postponements were announced Wednesday, a day before the Hurricanes were set to host the Florida Panthers in their home opener. This is the first instance this season of Capitals players appearing on the NHL’s COVID-19 list, which could include those who test positive, have a potential exposure or face quarantine requirements. The league didn’t specify which team prompted that night’s postponement, although four Hurricanes players — Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin and Teuvo Teravainen — were added to the daily COVID-19 list later Tuesday afternoon. Their past five games have been postponed during a stretch in which six Wizards players tested positive for the illness caused by the coronavirus and three others were sidelined after contact tracing determined they might have been exposed.
Guentzel's winner lifts Penguins by Capitals 4-3 in shootout
Read full article: Guentzel's winner lifts Penguins by Capitals 4-3 in shootoutDeSmith figured Ovechkin would try to fire one past him rather than deke his way to the net. DeSmith stayed upright as Ovechkin closed in and felt the familiar smack of rubber hitting him and not the net. “I thought our guys played hard in the second and third against a really good team,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. While Sullivan remains confident Jarry will be fine, he turned to DeSmith to help get Pittsburgh going. Washington went 1 for 4 on the power play, a tap-in goal by Backstrom in the second that gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead.
Longtime Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leaves for Capitals
Read full article: Longtime Bruins captain Zdeno Chara leaves for CapitalsFILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 file photo, Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) pushes Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) from the crease in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston. Longtime Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara signed with the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, a stunning move less than a week before most NHL teams open training camp. “The Boston Bruins have informed me that they plan to move forward with their many younger and talented players, and I respect their decision,” Chara posted on Instagram. “I'm proud that we were able to return the Stanley Cup to Boston,” Chara said in his post thanking the Bruins and their fans. Instead, Chara and the Capitals will face the Bruins eight times in the realigned East Division after the season opens Jan. 13.
Lundqvist to Caps, goalie carousel spins in NHL free agency
Read full article: Lundqvist to Caps, goalie carousel spins in NHL free agencyLundqvist signed with the Capitals when free agency opened Friday, Oct. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)Nets around the NHL will look very different next season after a flurry of musical goaltenders in free agency. "You saw the goalie carousel take place," said San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, who traded for goalie Devan Dubnyk this week. 1 goalies.”After trading Dubnyk to San Jose, the Minnesota Wild signed former Flames goalie Cam Talbot to an $11 million, three-year deal. After losing series to them in 2009 and 2011, Lundqvist eliminated the Capitals three times: 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Familiarity breeds respect among NHL East playoff teams
Read full article: Familiarity breeds respect among NHL East playoff teamsTORONTO, ONT Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper took exception to the Columbus Blue Jackets being referred to as a blue-collar team. Is that a positive or a negative? Cooper said Monday, a day before his Eastern Conference second-seeded Lightning open the first round of the NHL playoffs against the seventh-seeded Blue Jackets. Thats in the history books forever, Cooper said, noting how both teams have made various changes to their lineups. Id call them a really good team.Familiarity is breeding respect among the East opponents entering the first round. The Islanders hold a 5-2 playoff series edge over Washington.
NHL awards regular-season trophies for season cut short
Read full article: NHL awards regular-season trophies for season cut shortWashington's Alex Ovechkin and Boston's David Pastrnak share the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy the league announced Thursday, May 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)Since the NHL is planning to go straight to the playoffs, it's handing out a handful of trophies for the regular season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Not long after unveiling a 24-team right to the playoffs format, the league on Thursday announced the winners of its regular-season awards. Although Ovechkin was stopped short of a ninth 50-goal season, his ninth goal-scoring title extends his NHL record. The benefit and the curse of a bye, I suppose.___For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Pastrnak gets hat trick, Bruins beat Canadiens 4-1
Read full article: Pastrnak gets hat trick, Bruins beat Canadiens 4-1Pastrnak had his fourth hat trick of the season and the Bruins rolled to their third straight win over the Montreal Canadiens, 4-1 on Wednesday night. Pastrnak now has eight career regular-season hat tricks and nine overall, all but one coming in the last two seasons. He is the first Bruins player with four hat tricks in a season since Phil Esposito during the 1974-75 season. The only player in Bruins history with more hat tricks in a single season was Esposito, who had seven in 1970-71. With 41 goals on the season Pastrnak also takes over the NHL lead for goals scored.
Giroux, Flyers rout Capitals and keep Ovechkin at 698 goals
Read full article: Giroux, Flyers rout Capitals and keep Ovechkin at 698 goals(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON, D.C. – Preventing Alex Ovechkin from reaching 700 career goals was high on the Philadelphia Flyers' priority list Saturday night. Claude Giroux recorded three points to reach 800 for his career, Sean Couturier scored twice and Brian Elliott made 25 saves to help Philadelphia blow out the first-place Washington Capitals 7-2. The Flyers held Ovechkin to two shots and kept him stuck on 698 goals in one of their best all-around games of the season. Really detailed and strong effort from a lot of guys.”Reirden called timeout and lit into his players after the Flyers' goal spree. Taking the play to the Capitals in such dominant fashion could restore some confidence that the Flyers are indeed a playoff team.