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BOSTON -- Alex Ovechkin looks as if hes ready to carry the Washington Capitals to one of the Eastern Conferences final playoff spots. Mike Daniels Jersey. Coming off a strong game two days earlier, Ovechkin collected his 800th career point and raised his league-leading total to 43 goals with a pair of power-play scores, leading the Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon. "I think were just playing more solid right now," said Ovechkin, who became the 150th player to collect 800 points. "We dont have time to make mistakes. Every point right now is very important for us." Joel Ward and Eric Fehr also scored, and Braden Holtby made 36 saves for the Capitals, who won their fourth straight in their push for the playoffs. "I think we were missing our swagger a little bit," Ward said of his teams play before the Olympic break. "When our team plays with a little bit of cockiness we seem to get wins. We were missing that before the break. Were finding ways to win. The bottom line is were winning games." Ovechkin had the go-ahead goal and two assists in a 5-4 win at Florida on Thursday. Its his first season of 40-plus goals since collecting 40-plus in his first five seasons from 2005-06 to 2009-10. The Capitals star winger even impressed Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask with his second goal. "The second one it seemed like he was going short side and it just kind of knuckled in," Rask said, breaking into a slight smile to show how impressed he was with the shot. "I was trying to ask him and he was kind of shaking his shoulders. Its funny when you see those. He was kind of leaning into it. Its like impossible to go the other way and it goes the other way. Youre like, Come on, buddy." Washington, which hosts Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, remained one point behind the Flyers for the conferences eighth and final playoff spot. Patrice Bergeron and Shawn Thornton had Bostons goals. Rask stopped 27 shots in his first start since winning the bronze medal with Finland at the Sochi Olympics. It was just the Bruins second regulation loss in their past 13 games (8-2-3). The Bruins lost 5-4 in overtime at Buffalo on Wednesday. "Were getting caught cheating too much in the offensive side and its ending up in the back of the net," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "Its something we need to fix because were giving up too many goals." Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was disappointed how his team started out. "For sure that wasnt our best game," he said. "We could have done a number of things differently and better. We have to learn from games like this, especially against an opponent like this." The Capitals opened a 3-0 lead on second-period goals by Ovechkin and Ward. Similar to his first score of the game, Ovechkin one-timed a blistering shot over the right shoulder of Rask inside the far post from the left circle for his milestone point. Ward stole a puck near the blue line from defenceman Johnny Boychuk, broke in alone and shifted to his backhand before tucking a shot behind Rask for an unassisted score midway into the period. The Bruins cut it to 3-1 on Bergerons power-play goal 41 seconds later when he snapped off a shot from the slot that beat Holtby inside the left post. Thorntons centring pass was inadvertently tipped past Holtby by defenceman Mike Green as he was skating hard to the net battling for position with Bruins forward Gregory Campbell at 17:32. The goal was originally credited to Campbell, but changed early in the third. But the Capitals made it 4-2 when Fehr scored on a clean breakaway midway into the third. He poked the puck into an open area near centre ice from his own blue line, skated in on Rask and beat him between the pads. Holtby made a key pad save on Chris Kellys breakaway bid while his team was on a power play with 3:06 to play. Washington led 1-0 after one on Ovechkins first goal. He one-timed John Carlsons pass from the left circle inside the far post at 18:39. The Capitals held Boston to one shot on goal when they were short-handed for a full two minutes after Jay Beagle was called for holding and Tom Wilson high-sticking during the delayed penalty early in the first period. "That was a big kill for us," Holtby said. "I didnt know it was a 5-on-3 until I looked up on the faceoff. The guys made some big plays. I think one or two shots got through." NOTES: Capitals RW Martin Erat, who had to leave Thursdays game after injuring his left foot, tried to skate during pregame warmups but came off quickly and was not in the lineup. ... Washington C Mikhail Grabovski was also out after re-injuring his left ankle Thursday. ... It was the first of three meetings between the teams. ... Nicklas Backstrom collected an assist on Ovechkins first goal to pass Peter Bondra for seventh place on the clubs all-time list with 354 assists. ... It was the second game since the Olympic break for both teams. ... Boston faces the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. ... Washingtons entered the game with the leagues second-best power play. Casey Hayward Womens Jersey. The team said Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche also had operations this week. Harper had the bursa in his left knee repaired after it had hampered him last season. Reggie White Elite Jersey . The World Group first round series will now continue Monday with Spain leading 1-0. Earlier Sunday, Czech Klara Zakopalova led the second singles match against Maria Torro-Flor 6-3, 2-0.WESTWEGO, La. -- Even as Chris Paul remained evasive about his future, he did what team leaders are expected to do. He showed up at the Hornets suburban training centre on the first day players were permitted to use team facilities for voluntary workouts since a tentative labour deal was reached last weekend -- and he did so with a smile. "Ive got to be the happiest person in the world right now just to be back in the gym, getting a chance to work out with a couple of my teammates," Paul said. The star point guard is the subject of rampant trade talk because he can opt out of his contract after this season and become a free agent. If the Hornets are unable to persuade Paul to sign an extension, they may be inclined to deal him to another team, rather than let him simply walk in free agency. "I dont think about it, to tell you the truth," Paul said of the trade rumours. "Im just ready to get out here and compete and hoop. This is what I do. I love it. I have a very tight circle and they know this whole lockout things been driving me nuts, so Im just happy to get out on the court and compete. This is the way that I express myself, by playing basketball, so I cant wait to get out there." General manager Dell Demps declined to meet with reporters on Thursday, but has said that his top priority is to work on an extension with Paul. Paul described various and mushrooming repports about where he might be traded as, "Just rumours. John Kuhn Elite Jersey. " "You cant control it. Its always going to happen. Its part of the game," Paul said. "Im just happy to be back with my team." Small forwards Trevor Ariza and Quincy Pondexter joined Paul at the teams suburban training centre. They worked out with Pauls personal trainer, Idan Ravin, because they cannot work with team staff until the new labour agreement has been ratified. New Orleans has only five players under contract. Centre Emeka Okafor, who is travelling in Thailand, is expected back as soon as this weekend. Jarrett Jack was expected to join the workouts on Friday. Shooting guard Marco Belinelli, a restricted free agent who has a tender offer from the Hornets, plans to arrive by Monday. Demps, who was allowed to start discussing the frameworks of deals with agents on Wednesday, must fill out the rest of the roster through a compressed free agency period. If the new labour deal is ratified as expected, the Hornets open camp on Dec. 9. The Hornets regular-season schedule is expected to begin in late December but has not been officially set. Paul said he thinks the Hornets priority should be to figure out whether free agent David West is willing to come back. "Thats like a brother to me," Paul said. "Ive never played a season without him." cheap jerseys cheap jerseys from china ' ' ' |
