Ovechkin's 4 Goals Lead Caps
Capitals 8, Senators 6
Washington Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom, right, celebrates his second period goal with teammate Alexander Ovechkin, of Russia, during NHL hockey action against the Ottawa Senators, in Ottawa on Saturday Dec. 29, 2007. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)
(Sean Kilpatrick - AP)
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Saturday, December 29, 2007; 9:58 PM
OTTAWA -- Alexander Ovechkin had four goals and an assist to lead the Washington Capitals to an 8-6 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
The Russian star, who needed stitches to close a left leg cut one night earlier, scored a power-play goal 4:45 in to put Washington up 2-0. He added his second of the game early in the second before completing his first hat trick of the season in the third.
Michael Nylander scored twice for Washington. Mike Fisher had a hat trick for Ottawa, drawing the Senators within 7-6 with his third goal of the third period with 2:05 remaining.
Ovechkin got his 30th goal of the season for his first career four-goal game on an empty net with 27.6 seconds remaining after he hit the outside of the net with a long shot moments earlier.
Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin each had a goal and two assists for Washington, which won both its games at Scotiabank Place this season.
Daniel Alfredsson scored twice for Ottawa, which ended a three-game winning streak. Jason Spezza also scored for the Senators, who had been 9-1-1 in their previous 11 games.
The Capitals, who won 4-1 in Ottawa on Nov. 8, have recorded standings points in five of their last six games despite only two wins.
Senators goalie Martin Gerber stopped 22 of 30 shots. Washington's Olaf Kolzig made 16 saves on 22 shots.
Backstrom scored his seventh goal with 2.6 seconds remaining in the second to put the Capitals up 5-2.
Fisher scored a short-handed goal in the third to draw the Senators within 5-4 after Jason Spezza scored earlier in the period to cut Washington's lead to two.
Nylander got his second of the game at 9:13 to make it 6-4, but Fisher's power-play goal at 12:36 cut the margin again to one.
Alfredsson scored his second goal of the game _ his team-leading 24th _ on a penalty shot midway through the second while the Senators were short-handed. He also scored a power-play goal in the first.
Notes@: Ovechkin has three career hat tricks. His last was in a 3-2 win in Atlanta on Dec. 15, 2006. ... It was Fisher's first career hat trick.
