Canucks down Capitals to end three-game skid

[January 17, 2022] Elias Pettersson scored twice as the Vancouver Canucks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory against the host Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller both had a goal and an assist and Quinn Hughes added two helpers for Vancouver, which improved to 9-3-1 since Bruce Boudreau took over as coach early last month.

Goaltender Thatcher Demko made 31 saves.

Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson scored power-play goals for Washington, which has won just once in its past six games (1-3-2). Ilya Samsonov stopped 28 of 31 shots.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 10:31 of the first period on a one-timer from the top of the left faceoff circle that snuck between Demko's pads and trickled over the goal line. It was Ovechkin's 26th goal of the season, tying him with Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl for the league lead, and the 756th of his career -- 10 shy of matching Jaromir Jagr for third all-time.

The Canucks scored three second-period goals, two with the man advantage, to take the lead.

Pettersson tied it 33 seconds into the second on the power play, banking a wrist shot from the slot off the right post and into the net.

Pettersson made it 2-1 at 4:48 of the period. After Oliver Ekman-Larsson's shot from the blue line was knocked down in front of the net, Pettersson whacked at the puck twice, with both shots stopped by Samsonov at the right post. The puck trickled just wide of the net and Pettersson lifted a backhander from beneath the goal line off the goalie's back and into the net.

Horvat extended the lead on the man advantage at 18:50 of the period, putting a one-timer from the left faceoff circle past a screened Samsonov.

Wilson closed the gap at 6:22 of the third on a one-timer from the right faceoff circle.

Miller capped the scoring on an empty-netter with 58 seconds left.

The Capitals played without forward T.J. Oshie, who suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday's 2-0 victory at the New York Islanders, and defenseman John Carlson, who was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol before the game. Washington activated forward Carl Hagelin and defenseman Dmitry Orlov from the virus list and both played Sunday.

--Field Level Media

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