Alex Ovechkin helps Capitals beat Bruins 4-3 in shootout

WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin got his 24th goal of the season and then scored in the shootout to help the Washington Capitals beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Thursday night.

Lars Eller and Brett Connolly also scored for the Capitals, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won their 12th consecutive game over the Bruins. Washington also ended a scoring drought that had lasted almost nine full periods.

David Backes scored twice for the second time this season, but Boston lost for the third time in its last 12 games. Noel Acciari also scored for the Bruins.

Boston built a 2-0 lead before Washington registered its first shot of the game, and also led 3-2 in the third.

Washington’s Braden Holtby and Boston’s Anton Khudobin each made 31 saves.

Maple Leafs 7, Coyotes 4

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Auston Matthews scored during Toronto’s three-goal first period in his Arizona homecoming.

Facing the Coyotes in Arizona for the second time in his career, the 20-year-old Matthews scored for the second straight game after missing six in a row because of concussion-like symptoms.

With Toronto off since beating the Rangers on Saturday night in New York, Matthews spent the Christmas break with his family in Scottsdale.

Patrick Marleau scored twice for Toronto, and Frederik Andersen made 30 saves.

Josh Archibald, Brendan Perlini, Jordan Martinook and Christian Fischer scored for the NHL-worst Coyotes.

Lightning 3, Canadiens 1

TAMPA, Fla. – Steven Stamkos scored twice, and the NHL-leading Lightning earned their 10th win in 11 games.

Brayden Point got the tiebreaking goal in the third and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves as Tampa Bay picked up its eighth consecutive victory at home.

Brendan Gallagher scored and Carey Price stopped 31 shots for Montreal, which has lost seven of 10.

Point put the Lightning up 2-1 during a goalmouth scramble 30 seconds into the third. Stamkos’ 15th goal made it 3-1 on a 5-on-3 power play 4:45 into the final period.

Golden Knights 3, Kings 2, OT

LOS ANGELES – David Perron scored 1:31 into overtime, and Vegas earned its sixth consecutive victory.

Brendan Leipsic and Jonathan Marchessault also scored for the Knights, who have points in 11 consecutive games (10-0-1), a record for an expansion team. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 26 shots.

Drew Doughty and Marian Gaborik scored for Los Angeles, and Jonathan Quick made 36 saves.

Canucks 5, Blackhawks 2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Thomas Vanek had two goals and three assists, Brock Boeser added a goal and three assists, and the Canucks snapped a four-game losing streak.

Sam Gagner had two goals and an assist for Vancouver, which returned from its Christmas break with just its second victory in the last 10 games. Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves.

Chicago has lost three in a row after winning five straight. Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman scored for the Blackhawks, and Anton Forsberg made 26 saves while subbing for injured starter Corey Crawford.

Sharks 3, Flames 2, SO

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Joonas Donskoi scored the winning goal in a shootout, and San Jose rallied for the win.

The Sharks were stymied for most of the night by Flames goalie David Rittich, but they got a late goal in the third period on Timo Meier’s re-directed shot.

Joe Pavelski, who scored San Jose’s first goal, got the puck past Rittich in the first round of the shootout. After Calgary missed its first two attempts, Donskoi deked Rittich and then wrapped a shot around the goalie for the game-winner.

Martin Jones made 32 saves for San Jose.

Rittich made 30 saves in his fourth career start. Mikael Backlund and Garnet Hathaway scored for the Flames.

Panthers 3, Flyers 2

SUNRISE, Fla. – James Reimer stopped 29 shots, helping Florida to its fourth straight victory.

Derek MacKenzie and Jonathan Huberdeau scored in the second period as the Panthers earned their first win over the Flyers since March 12, 2016, snapping a four-game losing streak against Philly. Jared McCann also scored.

Brian Elliott made 24 saves for the Flyers, and Scott Laughton and Sean Couturier scored in the third period.