#CapsHawks Postgame Notebook: Trips Or Better To Win

Washington's top forward trio of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson has been playing quite well of late. Going into Wednesday night's home game with the Chicago Blackhawks, the unit had combined for seven goals and 15 points in the six games since Caps coach Barry Trotz put them together.

But Ovechkin scored all seven of those goals, and some of that total production came on the power play, too. In Wednesday's 6-2 victory over the Hawks, Backstrom and Wilson also joined in on the lamp-lighting.

Backstrom scored first, finishing off a pretty tic-tac-toe feed sequence from his linemates, and halting a 21-game goal drought - the second longest of his career - in the process. Three minutes later, Wilson scored. And half a minute after that, Ovechkin scored. Each member of the line found the back of the net in a span of less than four minutes in the first period against Chicago, giving Washington all the offense it would need to win its third straight game and its sixth victory in its last seven games.

"I think they're both working real hard for me, which helps," says Wilson of his linemates. "Ovi is playing with a lot of energy and Nicky is so easy to play with. I've kind of found that poise with the puck and then they seem to be open, and it's just about making the play.

"We've been feeling really good. We've had lots of chances, but they weren't really going in, necessarily. They were for [Ovechkin]. But it's fun to play with those guys. Whenever I look up, it seems like they're in a good spot, so it's just about seeing it and delivering the puck. I make one simple play to [Ovechkin], and he makes a great play to Nicky, and it gets us started. Stuff like that, it makes it pretty easy to play with them."

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Wednesday's game marks the 83rd time that Backstrom and Ovechkin have scored in the same game for the Capitals. But it was just the seventh time that the dynamic duo has done so before the end of the first frame. The last time they achieved that feat was on March 22, 2016 in a 4-2 victory over the Senators in Ottawa.

Leading Men -The Caps have now scored the game's first goal in eight of their last nine games. Washington has scored at least one goal in the first period of each of its last nine games, and it has managed to put up a crooked number in the first frame on five of those nine nights.

"I think especially at home, when you can get that first one, I think it's tough for [the opposition]," says Washington winger Brett Connolly. "When we're on the road and the away team scores first, it's tough to come back. So we can get that first one and feel good about ourselves and get that lead, we're really comfortable with the lead."

In winning each of their last three games, the Caps have never trailed at any point during that 18 minutes of hockey.

"Our starts have been better in the last nine games," says Connolly. "At the start of the year, the starts weren't our strongest, but we've turned that around as of late. It's always nice to get that first one."

It's even nicer to get the first three.

Winner, Winner - Ovechkin netted the game-winning goal on Wednesday, doing so for the second time in as many games and for the 98th time in his NHL career. That moves him ahead of Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur for sole possession of eighth place on the NHL's all-time list for most career game-winners.

Next in Ovechkin's sights on this particular list is Jarome Iginla, who currently sits seventh with 101 career game-winning goals.

Whipping Post -Wilson had a career-high three-point game against the Blackhawks when they last rolled through town on Jan. 13. The Caps whitewashed Chicago by a 6-0 count that night.

Fast forward about 11 months, and Wilson puts up a career-high four-point game against the Hawks in a 6-2 Caps triumph.

"If I can remember to last year," says Wilson, "I think it was [Jay Beagle] that was hot, and I got a couple of assists. It was a long time ago. I guess it's just a bit of a fluke, a bit of a coincidence."

Wilson is correct about Beagle; he scored two goals against the Hawks in that Jan. 13 game, but Wilson had a goal himself in that game, in addition to the two assists he meontioned.

Five For Ten - Connolly netted a power-play goal late in the second period of Wednesday's game, marking the second straight game in which he scored while Washington was on the man advantage. Connolly usually mans the diamond spot on the Caps' second power play unit, but with T.J. Oshie out of action with an upper body injury, Connolly has been promoted to the same spot on the top unit.

He has cashed in, scoring power-play goals in consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career. Connolly now has goals in three straight games, and he has five goals on the season.

After scoring 15 goals for Washington last season, Connolly set a goal of netting 20 this season. He scored the Caps' first goal of the season on opening night in Ottawa, but it was a month and a half before he scored his second goal; an injury that kept him out of seven games had something to do with that. His recent hot spell has put him in position to take a run at that double sawbuck plateau, and this current hot spell comes in the immediate wake of two games as a healthy extra.

"Once you start feeling good about yourself and you feel comfortable and you get that one goal out of the way," says Connolly, "you just relax and play. It's been a lot of fun these last three games, especially tonight getting a chance to play with those guys on the power play, and seeing that one go in.

"You've got to enjoy these moments when things are going right, and you want to try and keep it going as long as you can. It's been a good three games for me."

Offense From The Defense -Four different Caps defensemen supplied helpers in Wednesday night's offensive outburst. Christian Djoos, Dmitry Orlov, John Carlson and Matt Niskanen all picked up assists in Wednesday's win over Chicago.

Washington defensemen have now combined for seven goals and 48 assists for 55 points in 29 games on the season.

By The Numbers -Ovechkin led the Caps with six shots on goal and seven shot attempts … Connolly, Wilson, Beagle, Devante Smith-Pelly and Alex Chiasson had two hits to pace the Caps … John Carlson blocked four shots on the night to lead the Capitals … Washington's No. 2 (defenseman Matt Niskanen) was plus-4 on the night while Chicago's No. 2 (defenseman Duncan Keith) was minus-4 on the night … Including that victory over Chicago on Jan. 13, Caps have netted six goals in consecutive games against the Blackhawks for the first time in Washington's franchise history.