Capitals hold off Blue Jackets, win 4th straight

WASHINGTON -- Hendrix Lapierre and Aliaksei Protas each had a goal and two assists for the Washington Capitals in their fourth straight win, 4-3 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

Lapierre, inserted into the lineup in place of Evgeny Kuznetsov (illness), got his first points of the season in his fifth game and combined with linemates Protas and Sonny Milano for eight points (three goals, five assists).

"We just used our instincts, made plays,” Lapierre said. “We're three guys that can be creative, that can make plays, that have speed, so I thought it was a great fit. ... I thought we had a great game, but it was just find a way to win again, and it's incredible.”

Milano had a goal and an assist, and Alex Ovechkin scored his third goal in three games for the Capitals (9-4-2), who are 8-1-1 in their past 10. Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves.

“I think we find a way to play our game,” said Ovechkin, the Washington captain. “Obviously ‘Chucky’ (Lindgren) played unbelievable, kept us in the game.

“… I don't think we look at standings right now. We just play the game as hard as we can, try to collect two points game by game.”

Johnny Gaudreau, playing his 700th NHL game, scored for the Blue Jackets (4-10-4), who have lost eight in a row (0-6-2). Elvis Merzlikins made 22 saves.

Six of the eight losses during the skid have been one-goal games.

“It’s every game, we’re right there,” Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. “We could be four, five games above .500 right now. It’s getting ridiculous. It’s just those little lapses, and then the first thing you know the puck is in the back of your net. So, we’re going to focus on the positive here, but it’s getting old.”

Ivan Provorov pulled the Blue Jackets within 3-2 at 7:01 of the third period when he knocked in a loose puck during a scramble in front. The Capitals challenged for goalie interference, but the goal was upheld.

Lapierre took a pass from Milano and lifted a backhand past Merzlikins on a breakaway at 13:34 to make it 4-2.

“Been working on my backhand a little bit, just trying to get comfortable,” Lapierre said. “So, it was kind of like a hope shot more than anything and it ended up going through, so I was super happy.”

Justin Danforth scored on a rebound in front at 15:48 for the 4-3 final.

Columbus outshot Washington 16-9 in the third but failed to convert a late power play after Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk was called for holding at 17:26.

“I thought we looked good there in the third, had a lot of good looks,” Gaudreau said. “But they found a way to make it a two-goal game and we made it a one-goal game again. It's hard.”

Gaudreau gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 3:27 of the second period with a wrist shot from the high slot during a delayed penalty.

Milano tied it 1-1 at 5:05 on a sharp-angled shot from the bottom of the left face-off circle after a no-look, cross-ice feed from Protas.

“That line was the difference in the game for us,” Carbery said. “We weren’t generating, and then that line takes over and scores and sort of gets some life into the building and into our group. And backs it up again and again. They were fantastic.”

Protas gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 13:16, shooting over Merzlikins’ right shoulder from the left circle on the rush.

Ovechkin made it 3-1 at 15:47 after a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net during 4-on-4 play. It was his fifth goal of the season.

“You can look at the positives and be like, 'We played great for certain periods of time,' and then you can look at the negative and be like, 'Well, a mistake here, a mistake there and it ended up costing us the game.’” Provorov said. “At the end of the day, you can't live in the past. You've got to learn and move on.”

NOTES: Washington defenseman Joel Edmundson blocked two shots and was plus-1 in 21:42 of ice time after missing the first 14 games due to a fractured hand sustained in training camp. … Protas has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games. … The Capitals have killed off 23 straight opposing power plays over their past 10 games. … Gaudreau has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 20 career games against Washington. … Forward Boone Jenner played his 675th game with the Blue Jackets, passing Rick Nash for the most in franchise history. He had an assist in 20:16.