Capitals score 4 unanswered goals to defeat Islanders

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals scored four unanswered goals to defeat the New York Islanders 4-1 at Capital One Arena on Monday.

Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist, and Martin Fehervary, Anthony Beauvillier and John Carlson also scored for the Capitals (28-22-7), who have won three straight games and are 4-1-1 in their past six. Clay Stevenson made 29 saves to win his second consecutive start while filling in for the injured Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren.

“Our urgency level hasn’t been higher this year,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “I think through this last stretch, guys understand that essentially our season’s on the line and our playoff lives are on the line. Once you get back after the [Olympic] break, [if] you’re ten points back, you’ve got to go on like an 18-2 rip.”

Mathew Barzal scored his fourth goal in his past five games, and David Rittich made 20 saves for the Islanders (30-21-5), who have lost two in a row after winning three straight.

“At the end of the day, it didn’t really feel like we gave them much, to be honest with you,” New York captain Anders Lee said. “We weren’t bad at all tonight. We were much more connected, we had plenty of looks. … So, it’s kind of one of those tough games where you played solid and 4-1 sounds worse than it was.”

Barzal gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 16:38 of the first period. He intercepted Washington forward Tom Wilson’s pass across the slot, then turned and beat Stevenson with a glove side wrist shot.

The Capitals took the lead with two goals in 31 seconds early in the second period.

Fehervary tied it 1-1 at 5:29. He worked a give-and-go with Wilson, took the return pass in the slot and scored with a snap shot through a screen set by Aliaksei Protas in front. Fehervary did not play in Washington's 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday due to the birth of his first child.

“Really special,” Fehervary said. “Score one right after I miss the game because of [the birth of] my daughter, so I feel really amazing.”

Beauvillier gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 6:00 when he controlled a loose puck behind the net, deked one way and then stuffed the puck in at the right post on the wraparound.

“I thought we had a really good first period until they scored those two quick goals in less than 30 seconds, and then for some reason it affected us,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “But we had a couple breakaways where we could’ve gotten back in that game and their goalie made some good saves.”

Stevenson preserved the one-goal lead at 2:35 of the third period by sliding to his left to make the save against Islanders forward Casey Cizikas on a 2-on-1 short-handed rush.

“I try not to think too much on those,” Stevenson said. “Just read what they’re presenting in front of you. Not getting too ahead of yourself on plays like that because they are quite dangerous.”

Dowd pushed the lead to 3-1 at 8:46 when his pass intended for Alex Ovechkin deflected off Islanders forward Ondrej Palat’s stick and defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s skate before bouncing in.

“It’s such a big goal,” Beauvillier said. “I think for [Dowd] to get rewarded, too, playing such a big game and doing so many things right, and [he] ended up getting rewarded. Huge goal and momentum flip for us.”

Carlson scored into an empty net at 17:35 for the 4-1 final.

NOTES: Ovechkin (assist) recorded his 1,670th point with the Capitals and passed Wayne Gretzky (1,669 points with the Edmonton Oilers) for the fifth-most points with a single franchise in NHL history. … Washington had 23 blocked shots, including four by defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk. … Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau won 12-of-18 face-offs.