Holtby has 28 saves, Ovechkin scores 7th goal as streaking Capitals beat Bruins 4-1

WASHINGTON - Braden Holtby stopped 28 shots, Alex Ovechkin scored his seventh goal and the Washington Capitals handed the Boston Bruins their first road loss of the season, 4-1 on Thursday night.

John Carlson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, whose 9-3-0 record matches the best start in franchise history.

Holtby notched shutouts in all three games between the teams last season. A power-play goal by Jimmy Hayes in the first period ended the streak, but that would be the extent of the offence from a team that came in with an NHL-best 3.82 goals per game average.

Ovechkin tied the game at 1 with the 482nd goal of his career, one short of Sergei Federov for most among Russian-born players in NHL history.

Brooks Laich and Karl Alzner scored a goal each for the Capitals.