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Capitals Beat Blackhawks, 6-2

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tom Wilson had two goals and two assists and Alex Ovechkin had a goal and three assists in the Washington Capitals' 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Nicklas Backstrom ended a 21-game stretch without a goal and added two assists, and Washington's top-line trio each scored a goal in the first period when the Capitals opened a 3-0 lead. Backstrom hadn't scored since Oct. 14 in Philadelphia, matching the longest drought of his career.

Braden Holtby made 37 saves for Washington to help the Capitals win for the sixth time in seven games. Brett Connolly scored in his third straight game, and Evgeny Kuznetsov added a goal. Wilson had his first four-point game, and Ovechkin also extended his goals streak to three games.

Lance Bouma and Jonathan Toews scored for Chicago. The Blackhawks are 0-3-2 in their last five.

Anton Forsberg, starting in place of the injured Corey Crawford, was pulled after Ovechkin's goal made it 3-0 with 4:38 left in the first. J.F Berube finished in goal for Chicago.

Washington has won seven of its last eight against the Blackhawks. Chicago has lost seven in a row in Washington since January 2006.

Backstrom ended his goal drought ended at 11:54 of the first when he finished a tic-tac-toe sequence by one-timing Ovechkin's pass past Forsberg for his fourth of the season.

Wilson's spinning shot from the left circle eluded Forsberg with 5:07 to go, and Ovechkin scored his 21st goal when he cleaned up 29 seconds later after Forsberg made the initial save on Wilson's breakaway.

NOTES: Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Crawford could return Sunday against Arizona. "Right now I think maybe there's hope on Friday," Quenneville said, "maybe the likelihood might be Sunday but we'll see." ... Chicago D Michal Kempny, C Tanner Kero and D Jordan Oesterle were healthy scratches for the 10th straight game.

UP NEXT

Blackhawks: Host Buffalo on Friday night.

(© 2017 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.)

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