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

Ovechkin extended it to 3-1 at 11:05 on a wrist shot from the high post 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 and has led our team, not only from a leadership standpoint and in the locker room, but also on the ice,” Carbery said. “In times when you need those kinds of plays, you need guys to step up and score or make a big play, and he’s continued to do that (is) off to a phenomenal start this year.”

Bjugstad cut it to 4-2 at 11:44 after a rebound from 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 forward.”

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

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

“Excitement, competitiveness, passion and fire. We just didn’t want to 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 beautiful win if we were to get two points and I feel we just had to figure it out.”

NOTES: Ovechkin (39 years, 62 days) is the oldest player in NHL history, the league’s first skater with 15 goals in a season. Before Ovechkin, the oldest player was Frank Mahovlich (33 years, 304 days on November 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 most in NHL history. … Ian Cole had an assist for his 200th NHL point (35 goals, 165 assists) in 844 games.