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 Ovechkin had just 12 goals after 24 games, and the Capitals were
a pedestrian 10-10-4.
In the 24 games since then, Ovechkin has 17 goals and the Capitals
are 15-4-5 to move into playoff position in the Eastern Conference
standings.
Ovechkin scored twice to take over the NHL lead with 29 goals, and
goaltender Braden Holtby turned aside all 27 shots he faced to lead
Washington to a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday
night at the Verizon Center.
"We played well all 60 minutes, right from the start," Ovechkin
said. "The PK (penalty killers) did a great job, we didn't give them
much. (Holtby) played unbelievable. We bounced back the way we
needed."
Center Eric Fehr and defenseman Mike Green also scored for the
Capitals, who handed the Penguins their first shutout loss since
beating them 3-0 in Pittsburgh on Dec. 27.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Capitals (25-14-9)
and moved them within three points of the Penguins for second in the
Metropolitan Division.
 The Penguins (27-13-8) had center Sidney Crosby in their lineup
after he missed Tuesday's game due to a lower-body injury, but they
lost for fifth time in six games (1-3-2).
"We had a few opportunities, but we need to create more if we want
to win a game," said Crosby, who was held to three shots and lost 17
of 24 faceoffs, most of them to Fehr. "I just don't think we've done
enough to get to the front of the net."
Ovechkin netted his first goal of the night 4:50 into the game on
the Capitals' third shot against Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre
Fleury (32 saves).
Ovechkin parked himself in front and deflected a shot from the point
from defenseman Karl Alzner past Fleury on the short side.
The Capitals doubled their advantage on the power play early in the
second period.
Green feathered a pass to Ovechkin's wheelhouse and the 29-year-old
Russian blasted a slap shot past Fleury.
"We've played together a long time, and I sort of know his habits
and where he likes it, better than he does sometimes," Green said.
"If you put it in that spot, he's got such an incredible shot that
nine times out of 10 it's in the net."
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Penguins coach Mike Johnston said, "That power-play goal (by
Ovechkin) I thought was a key goal for them. Then, in the third
period, I thought we got out of rhythm."
Fehr made it 3-0 with 11:02 gone in the third period when he lifted
a bouncing puck over Fleury for his 15th goal of the season. Green
finished off the Washington scoring with 7:36 remaining, converting
a two-on-one with rookie center Evgeny Kuznetsov for his fifth goal
of the season and first since Dec. 20.
"I thought we just had more determination in our game," Trotz said.
"We just made sure we weren't going to be outworked."
NOTES: Acquired Tuesday night from the St. Louis Blues in exchange
for C Marcel Goc, Pittsburgh C Maxime Lapierre made his Penguins
debut, centering a line with RW Steve Downie and LW Nick Spaling.
"He's an energy guy," Penguins coach Mike Johnston said before the
game. "He's a hard-forechecking type of player. He can play center
or the wing and kills penalties, so he's a versatile guy. The key
thing is he's a real energy guy who likes to work." ... Capitals C
Michael Latta returned to the lineup after missing nine of the
previous 10 games as a healthy scratch. Rookie RW Andre Burakovsky
came out of the lineup to make room for Latta. ... Washington C Jay
Beagle played right wing on a top line with LW Alex Ovechkin and C
Nicklas Backstrom. ... Penguins C Evgeni Malkin sat out his third
straight game with a lower-body injury. If Malkin is skating with
the Penguins this weekend, he will make their three-game trip to
western Canada next week, Johnston said.
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