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 After being sidelined for two games, Ovechkin scored twice on the power play in a five-goal second period for the Capitals, who have won three straight and are above .500 for the first time this season (8-7).
John Carlson, Marcus Johansson, Alexander Urbom and rookie Tom Wilson also scored for Washington, which netted four power-play goals. Nicklas Backstrom had three assists, and Braden Holtby made 34 saves.
John Tavares and Kyle Okposo scored for the Islanders, who had won two in a row. Evgeni Nabokov had 33 saves.
Ovechkin was hurt last week when he crashed headfirst into the goalie and net in the first period of a loss at Vancouver. The Capitals won twice without their three-time league MVP -- including a 7-0 rout of the Philadelphia Flyers -- and he returned to find a new configuration on the top line, with Martin Erat joining Ovechkin and Backstrom.
But it was with the man-advantage that Ovechkin made his mark Tuesday night. He needed only three seconds of a power play to score his first goal. Backstrom directed the faceoff in Ovechkin's direction to set up a drive through traffic that gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead.
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That was part of a surge of five goals in just over five minutes -- with Washington scoring four. Carlson capitalized on a turnover inside the blue line to score an unassisted goal, Johansson put in a rebound on a power play, and Urbom scored during a delayed penalty for his third career goal and first since joining the Capitals.
Ovechkin got his second late in the period, waiting in the left circle to put the finishing touch on a nice series of passes by Backstrom and Johansson. Ovechkin also assisted on Wilson's power-play score in the third period, the first NHL goal for the 19-year-old forward.
Tavares scored in the first period just as a Capitals penalty was expiring, and Okposo beat Holtby glove side from the top of the right circle for New York's other goal.
NOTES: The Capitals went 4 for 6 on the power play. ... Washington has outscored opponents 26-13 in the second period this season. ... Wilson got his first NHL point with the primary assist on Urbom's goal. ... The loss opened a four-game road trip for the Islanders. ... Thomas Vanek, in his fourth game since being acquired in a trade from Buffalo, led the Islanders with seven shots.
[Associated
Press; By JOSEPH WHITE]
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