Ovechkin scores 900th goal, Capitals score 6 in win over Blues

WASHINGTON -- Alex Ovechkin scored his 900th NHL goal in the Washington Capitals' 6-1 win against the St. Louis Blues at Capital One Arena on Wednesday.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead when he got the rebound of Jakob Chychrun’s shot and chipped a backhanded shot past a lunging Jordan Binnington from below the right circle at 2:39 of the second period.

“It’s a huge number,” Ovechkin said. “No one ever did it in NHL history and to be the first player ever to do it, it’s a special moment. So, yeah, it’s nice it’s over, and it’s nice to get it at home, so the fans and family can be here. Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”

It was the third goal of the season for Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record when he scored his 895th career goal on April 6 in a 4-1 loss at the New York Islanders. Ovechkin reached the 900-goal mark in his 1,504th career game.

“For him to do it at the clip he's done it at over the last 20 years, I still honestly don't think we truly understand,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “I think it's going to take years of reflecting back to really grasp what's transpired here over the past couple of years. At the age he's at, to still be doing what he's doing.”

Anthony Beauvillier and Tom Wilson each had two goals, and John Carlson had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (7-5-1), who had lost four straight (0-3-1). Chychrun had three assists and Logan Thompson made 23 saves.

“It’s been a long time coming for our guys,” Thompson said. “I think we’ve had a lot of chances. It was good to see them finally going in. Credit to the guys, it was overall one of our best games of the season and just build off it.”

Alexey Toropchenko scored for the Blues (4-8-2), who have lost eight of nine (1-6-2). Binnington allowed four goals on 15 shots before being lifted at 9:28 of the second period. Joel Hofer made 15 saves in relief.

"From the drop of the puck," Blues coach Jim Montgomery said when asked how the game got away. "We got the puck ten feet before the red line in the first five seconds of the game and we iced it. We weren’t ready to play, we weren’t ready to start on time and we got worse after the first period."

Wilson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 9:50 of the first period, scoring from the slot when he deflected Carlson’s slap shot from the point during a power play.

Ovechkin’s goal ignited the crowd and the Capitals offense as they scored three more goals in the second period.

“I think it had a lot to do with their success,” Montgomery said. “For us we didn’t handle the moment well enough. That’s for sure.”

Beauvillier made it 3-0 at 4:33 of the second period when he faked a wrist shot from the slot and scored on a backhanded shot from just outside the right circle.

Carlson increased the lead to 4-0 at 9:28, spinning around in the slot and scoring on a snap shot.

Beauvillier scored his second of the night when he got to a loose puck on the rush and beat Hofer from the left circle to make it 5-0 at 16:20.

“We just sat back and watched,” Blues forward Brayden Schenn said of the second period. “They’ve got good players, talented players. Big, strong and ended up owning us for the rest of the game.”

Toropchenko pulled the Blues within 5-1 when he lifted a backhanded shot over Thompson for a short-handed goal 37 seconds into the third period.

Wilson knocked in a Rasmus Sandin rebound for his second of the night for the 6-1 final at 9:00.

“That was just a well-rounded game for us,” Chychrun said. “We’re happy with that effort. That’s the way we want to play. When our 'D' is breaking out clean, getting up the ice we’re usually able to generate some looks and tonight we found a way to put a bunch in.”

NOTES: Sandin had missed the previous five games and played 16:58 in his return. ... Thompson became the fifth goaltender over the past 20 years to allow two or fewer goals against in nine consecutive appearances to begin his season. He joined Andrew Hammond (13 games played in 2014-15), Brian Elliott (12 games in 2011-12), Josh Harding (nine games in 2013-14) and Nikolai Khabibulin (nine games in 2011-12). … Ovechkin has recorded 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 29 career games against the Blues. … With his 347th start in net tonight, Binnington tied Mike Liut for most games played by a goaltender in Blues history.