Sharks score 3 in 2nd period, hold off Capitals to start 4-game road trip

WASHINGTON -- The San Jose Sharks scored three goals in a 2:46 span of the second period and held on to beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 at Capital One Arena on Thursday.

Collin Graf and Pavol Regenda each had a goal and an assist, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves for the Sharks (24-19-3), who have won four of five and answered for a 7-1 home loss to Washington on Dec. 3.

“We know they are a team where if they score one, two goals first, they are really good. That’s what happened when we were home,” Regenda said. “Just tried to jump on them from the start and I think we did a pretty good job today.”

Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard each scored, Alex Ovechkin had an assist, and Logan Thompson made 23 saves for the Capitals (24-18-6), who defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday and were looking to win consecutive games for the first time since a six-game streak that ended after the win in San Jose.

“By this time, we’re almost at Game 50, so to say it’s concerning that we can’t get any traction and we aren’t able to do it for two, three, four, five games – let’s take even a step back from games: two, three, four, five, six periods in a row - it’s concerning,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said.

Strome gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 10:58 of the second period. Ovechkin’s shot from the left circle caromed off the back wall to Strome, who backhanded it in from the right post during a power play.

Zack Ostapchuk tied the score 1-1 at 13:27. Dmitry Orlov and Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun converged on a loose puck at the end boards behind the net and it bounced out to Ostapchuk, who scored from the slot with a snap shot.

Graf gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead at 14:53, going to the net and tipping in a pass from Regenda, who was coming down the left side after stealing the puck from Strome.

“I see [Graf’s] coming with big speed to the net, and sometimes, if you just throw the puck into the crease it works out, and it did,” Regenda said. “He just roofed it and it was a pretty good goal.”

“Obviously, we make some turnovers,” Strome said. “I make a bad play trying to find the open ice and they capitalize, and I think a couple others were just getting hemmed in. I think the whole period we were hemmed in.”

Regenda made it 3-1 at 16:13 when Macklin Celebrini won a puck battle behind the net and fed it in front to Regenda for the snap shot near the right post.

“We played a great game,” Celebrini said. “Had lots of chances. We were all over them for a little bit.”

Leonard pulled the Capitals to within 3-2 at 9:11 of the third period when he deked around Sharks forward Ryan Reaves at the top of the zone, skated down the slot and beat Nedeljkovic with a high snap shot on the glove side.

“I just tried to attack the forward and they did a great job of screening the goalie as well,” Leonard said.

Washington kept the puck in the San Jose zone for much of the final two minutes, taking seven shots, but were unable to get the equalizer.

“We’re learning lessons,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. It wasn’t perfect. Obviously, our 5-on-5 defense wasn’t great. So, there’s some things we’ve got to clean up. We’re winning in different ways, and I think that’s what good teams do.”

NOTES: Celebrini became the eighth teenager in NHL history with 85 career assists. … Strome has recorded 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his last 14 games. … Since returning to Washington’s lineup on Dec. 23 following a seven-game absence due to injury, Leonard has recorded 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 12 games played.