Eric Fehr

WASHINGTON - Three goals from Alex Ovechkin. Two feet of snow on the ground. One big comeback against a detested rival, with punches and name-calling added for good measure. The biggest number of all: 14, the length of a winning streak topped by just two other teams in NHL history. What a Super Sunday it was for the Washington Capitals, who got a hat trick from their two-time reigning league MVP and made up a three-goal deficit to beat Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4, in overtime.

Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist to reach 601 career points, and the Capitals beat the Edmonton Oilers, 5-0, last night in Washington for their sixth consecutive victory. Ovechkin passed Michal Pivonka to gain sole possession of third place on the team’s career points chart. Only Peter Bondra (825) and Mike Gartner (789) have more points in a Washington uniform than Ovechkin, now in his sixth NHL season. Rookie Braden Holtby stopped 22 shots for his first career shutout.

Mike Green scored a power-play goal 29 seconds into overtime to give the Capitals a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers last night in Washington. It was Green’s fourth goal of the season. Eric Fehr and Alexander Semin also scored for the Capitals, who moved ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the Eastern Conference. Nicklas Backstrom had two assists. Nikolai Zherdev and Ville Leino scored for Philadelphia, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. The Flyers haven’t won seven in a row since January 2002.

PITTSBURGH — Eric Fehr upstaged stars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin by scoring twice and the Washington Capitals waded through raindrops to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, in a wet Winter Classic at Heinz Field last night. It was the NHL’s first nighttime Winter Classic, and the first played in occasional rain, but the Capitals handled the elements — and a scoreless Crosby — just fine. “It was raining pretty good out there,’’ Fehr said. “But it was a perfect night.’’ Fehr gave Washington its first lead at 2-1 in the second period after Penguins...

Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals withstood the pressure of their first playoff period in Montreal. Then they dumped it all back on Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak. Ovechkin scored the fourth goal of Washington’s second-period outburst, leading the Capitals to a 5-1 win over Montreal last night and a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Semyon Varlamov, who got the nod over Jose Theodore, made 26 saves in his first start of the series for Washington, which has won two in a row after losing the opener, 3-2, in overtime.

Alex Ovechkin claims to dislike games that start early. His performance on the ice the past two contests tells a different story. Ovechkin scored three goals for his seventh career hat trick and second of the season to lead the Capitals to a 7-4 win over the Ottawa Senators yesterday in Washington. It was the second consecutive day the Capitals had a 12:30 p.m. start. On Saturday, Ovechkin said he felt "sleepy" early in the game, but woke up with two goals in the third period in the Capitals' 4-2 wictory over the Red Wings.

Mathieu Perreault scored twice and Eric Fehr had a goal and an assist as the Washington Capitals ended their losing streak at eight games, beating the Senators, 3-2, in Ottawa last night. Washington scored three times in a 6:21 span early in the second to erase a 2-0 deficit. The Capitals, who also had two goals disallowed, had been held to 11 goals during their 0-6-2 skid. Ryan Shannon and Chris Kelly scored in the first for Ottawa. Perreault, who was sick and didn’t play Saturday night in a 3-2 loss in Boston, gave Washington its first lead on a power play 6:55 into the...

Travis Moen and Tomas Plekanec scored in a three-minute span early in the second period, Michael Cammalleri added a goal in the third, and the Montreal Canadiens withstood a furious comeback to beat the Capitals, 3-2, last night in Washington. Montreal led, 3-1, but Brendan Morrison scored with 2:32 remaining to pull Washington within a goal. Then Maxim Lapierre was whistled for hooking with 1:52 to play, giving the Capitals a power play through the end of regulation. Washington pulled its goalie with a minute to play, one of the Canadiens lost his stick, and the Capitals...

Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist to reach 601 career points, and the Capitals beat the Edmonton Oilers, 5-0, last night in Washington for their sixth consecutive victory. Ovechkin passed Michal Pivonka to gain sole possession of third place on the team’s career points chart. Only Peter Bondra (825) and Mike Gartner (789) have more points in a Washington uniform than Ovechkin, now in his sixth NHL season. Rookie Braden Holtby stopped 22 shots for his first career shutout.

PITTSBURGH — Eric Fehr upstaged stars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin by scoring twice and the Washington Capitals waded through raindrops to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, in a wet Winter Classic at Heinz Field last night. It was the NHL’s first nighttime Winter Classic, and the first played in occasional rain, but the Capitals handled the elements — and a scoreless Crosby — just fine. “It was raining pretty good out there,’’ Fehr said. “But it was a perfect night.’’ Fehr gave Washington its first lead at 2-1 in the second period...

Mathieu Perreault scored twice and Eric Fehr had a goal and an assist as the Washington Capitals ended their losing streak at eight games, beating the Senators, 3-2, in Ottawa last night. Washington scored three times in a 6:21 span early in the second to erase a 2-0 deficit. The Capitals, who also had two goals disallowed, had been held to 11 goals during their 0-6-2 skid. Ryan Shannon and Chris Kelly scored in the first for Ottawa. Perreault, who was sick and didn’t play Saturday night in a 3-2 loss in Boston, gave Washington its first lead on a power play 6:55 into the second for his...

Mike Green scored a power-play goal 29 seconds into overtime to give the Capitals a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers last night in Washington. It was Green’s fourth goal of the season. Eric Fehr and Alexander Semin also scored for the Capitals, who moved ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the Eastern Conference. Nicklas Backstrom had two assists. Nikolai Zherdev and Ville Leino scored for Philadelphia, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. The Flyers haven’t won seven in a row since January 2002.

Jaroslav Halak made 53 saves, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice in the first period for the eighth-seeded Canadiens, who stayed alive with a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals last night in Montreal and forced a Game 7 in the first-round series. Halak made 18 saves in the first, 14 in the second, and 21 in the third. He came within 4:50 of his first playoff shutout. Halak, who stopped 37 shots in Friday’s 2-1 victory in Washington, won his second straight start despite the top-seeded Capitals’ 54-22 advantage in shots.

Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals withstood the pressure of their first playoff period in Montreal. Then they dumped it all back on Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak. Ovechkin scored the fourth goal of Washington’s second-period outburst, leading the Capitals to a 5-1 win over Montreal last night and a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference series. Semyon Varlamov, who got the nod over Jose Theodore, made 26 saves in his first start of the series for Washington, which has won two in a row after losing the opener, 3-2, in overtime.

Don’t count out the Washington Capitals, no matter how big the deficit, no matter how dire the circumstances. Nicklas Backstrom completed a hat trick by scoring only 31 seconds into overtime, helping the top-seeded Capitals finish a wild comeback to beat the visiting Montreal Canadiens, 6-5, last night and even their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at a game apiece. “The only way we were going to win was if we decided to go all offense,’’ Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Alex Ovechkin was kicked out early, the Washington Capitals trailed in the third period, 3-0, and that’s when they showed why they have the NHL’s best record and highest-scoring offense. Nicklas Backstrom scored unassisted with 1:50 left in overtime — his second goal of the game — to give the Capitals a 4-3 comeback victory in Chicago yesterday. After his sprint up the side, Backstrom maneuvered around Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook in the left circle and beat Antti Niemi.

Phil Kessel scored the tying goal then tallied in the shootout along with Nikolai Kulemin to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the Senators last night in Ottawa. Jonas Gustavsson (22 saves) turned aside Ottawa’s two attempts, with Alex Kovalev’s backhander hitting the right post before the Swedish rookie got a glove on Jason Spezza’s shot. Kessel, who scored his 22d goal and had another potential goal waved off in the second, tried a move in the shootout he’d had on hold for a while.

Jaroslav Halak made 53 saves, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice in the first period for the eighth-seeded Canadiens, who stayed alive with a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals last night in Montreal and forced a Game 7 in the first-round series. Halak made 18 saves in the first, 14 in the second, and 21 in the third. He came within 4:50 of his first playoff shutout. Halak, who stopped 37 shots in Friday’s 2-1 victory in Washington, won his second straight start despite the top-seeded Capitals’ 54-22 advantage in shots.

Phil Kessel scored the tying goal then tallied in the shootout along with Nikolai Kulemin to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the Senators last night in Ottawa. Jonas Gustavsson (22 saves) turned aside Ottawa’s two attempts, with Alex Kovalev’s backhander hitting the right post before the Swedish rookie got a glove on Jason Spezza’s shot. Kessel, who scored his 22d goal and had another potential goal waved off in the second, tried a move in the shootout he’d had on hold for a while.

WASHINGTON - Three goals from Alex Ovechkin. Two feet of snow on the ground. One big comeback against a detested rival, with punches and name-calling added for good measure. The biggest number of all: 14, the length of a winning streak topped by just two other teams in NHL history. What a Super Sunday it was for the Washington Capitals, who got a hat trick from their two-time reigning league MVP and made up a three-goal deficit to beat Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4, in overtime.