Caps beat Sens in OT as Ovechkin stays at 800

Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith was far from impressed by his team's effort late in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

Marcus Johansson raced past Drake Batherson from centre ice, found an opening and fired the game winner 2:04 into overtime.

“I just don’t like the way it ends,” said Smith. “You’ve got to check harder in overtime, you can’t give a breakaway. (Cam) Talbot did everything to hold us in there.”

Evgeny Kuznetsov and Sonny Milano also scored for the Capitals (18-13-4). Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves in his first start since sustaining an upper-body injury Dec. 3.

“It’s nice to be back in the lineup, first of all, and then for a big team win, it makes it feel even better being back,” said Kuemper.

Alex Ovechkin, who had two assists, went without a goal for a fourth straight game as he sits one behind Gordie Howe for second on the NHL's all-time career goals list.

“You just have to play through it,” said Ovechkin. “If I was playing out there and (got) zero chances, yeah, I would be worried. But I have chances. Their goalie played good and right now it’s important to get two points and keep moving in the standings.”

His six shots, however, moved him past Ray Bourque for most shots in league history with 6,210.

“It’s pretty cool,” admitted Ovechkin. “To be No. 1 in any category, it’s pretty special. I’ll take it.”

Talbot, who stopped 37 shots, was solid for the Senators (14-16-3), making a number of point-blank saves. Batherson and Alex DeBrincat scored for Ottawa.

The Senators finished the game with 10 forwards and five defenceman after losing Tyler Motte and Rourke Chartier in the first period to upper-body injuries. Ottawa also lost Jake Sanderson early in the third.

“It’s tough to beat those guys with a full bench and our guys battled back with three quarters of one so it’s a gutsy point,” said Talbot. “Obviously when you leave a point on the table it doesn’t feel great.”

The Senators head into the Christmas break on a three-game skid following a four-game win streak.

“That was hard fought,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. "Dealt with a lot of adversity today and thought we handled it well, but we wish we could have gotten that second point.

"It’s just how it is and you’ve got to move on from it, but yeah it’s a gutsy effort by a lot of guys tonight with all those injuries.”

Batherson tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal 3:04 into the third period to extend his point streak to 10 games (seven goals, seven assists).

Ovechkin looked poised to pick up goal No. 801 as he got a puck past Talbot, but Milano pushed it across the goal line at 5:25 of the second, to give the Capitals a 2-1 edge.

The Capitals had numerous chances to put the game out of reach, but Talbot made a number of big saves to keep the game close.

“I was just going out there trying to give us a chance,” said Talbot. “When guys go down like that you need some saves to keep you in the game and that’s all I was trying to do, is keep the guys in the game and give us a chance.”

Kuznetsov knotted the contest off a pass from Ovechkin on the power play 7:01 into the opening frame.

DeBrincat opened the scoring 4:50 into the first when he redirected Nick Holden’s point shot for his 10th of the season.

INTERESTING FACT OR STAT

Entering the game, the Senators led the league in power-play goals scored over the past month with 21.

NOTES: Tim Stutzle, who missed four games with a shoulder injury, returned to the Senators lineup. Senators defenceman Erik Brannstrom missed the game and is day-to-day. Artem Zub, who hasn’t played since Dec. 2, took part in the morning skate in a non-contact jersey and face shield. He hopes to return between Christmas and early January. The Capitals were without T.J. Oshie.

UP NEXT

The Senators were scheduled to host Detroit Friday, but due to an incoming storm, the game has been rescheduled. Ottawa will be back in action Dec. 27 when it hosts Boston.

The Capitals will host Winnipeg on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 22, 2022.