Alex Ovechkin scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the second period as the Washington Capitals edged the visiting Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Monday night.
Washington improved to 5-0-1 when Ovechkin scores this season and picked up just its second win in six outings overall (2-3-1).
Matt Roy also scored for the Capitals, and Charlie Lindgren made 30 saves for his second win in six starts this season (2-3-1).
Anze Kopitar tallied for the Kings, who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Los Angeles also had its 10-game road point streak (8-0-2) halted.
Los Angeles goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots.
Leading 1-0, Washington doubled its advantage at 1:51 of the second period when Ovechkin snapped a Connor McMichael pass past Kuemper for his sixth of the season and the 903rd of his career. Ovechkin has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past seven games.
Kopitar got the Kings on the board at 13:27 of the middle period on a power play, tapping in a Corey Perry cross-ice feed.
Washington outshot Los Angeles 14-8 and led 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Roy opened the scoring at 3:41, redirecting an Aliaksei Protas point shot past Kuemper. With the secondary assist on the goal, Tom Wilson picked up his team-leading 18th point.
Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty, who is out week-to-week, missed his first game due to a lower-body injury. Jacob Moverare took Doughty’s spot in the lineup and produced a minus-1 rating in 10:19 of ice time.
Defenseman John Carlson skated in his 1,106th career game with the Capitals to top Nicklas Backstrom for second place on the franchise’s all-time list. Ovechkin holds the record (1,510).
The Kings announced on Monday that forward Adrian Kempe signed an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $10,625,000 million.
Monday was the first of two meetings this season between the Capitals and Kings. Washington visits Los Angeles on Dec. 2.
–Field Level Media
