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Islanders-Capitals Preview

Oct 30, 2009 - 5:48 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

New York (2-4-5) at Washington (7-2-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Alex Ovechkin is off to an outstanding start for the surging Washington Capitals, but after another impressive performance to extend his team's winning streak, he was passing credit to the goaltending.

Ovechkin and the Capitals look to win their seventh straight Friday night when they host the New York Islanders.

Ovechkin had his second consecutive two-goal game and sixth of the season in a 4-3 victory over Atlanta on Thursday, also recording an assist. He scored his league-leading 12th and 13th goals in the first period, helping Washington (8-2-2) take a 3-0 lead into the second.

Atlanta rallied with three goals in the third period, including Zach Bogosian's goal against Semyon Varlamov with one second remaining.

Varlamov denied Jim Slater on a penalty shot in the first period and finished with 38 saves.

"He saved the game," Ovechkin said of the Washington goaltender, who improved to 5-0-0 in six games this season.

Varlamov's excellent start came after an equally impressive 41-save performance by Jose Theodore in Tuesday's 4-2 win over Philadelphia. The two goalies have combined to allow 14 goals over the Capitals' six-game streak.

Washington is looking to win seven in a row for the first time since Dec. 23-Jan. 6.

One of the wins during the current streak was a 3-2 road victory over the Islanders (2-4-5) on Saturday. New York had a 2-0 lead in the third period before Washington rallied to send the game into overtime where Brooks Laich scored one minute into the extra period.

Theodore made 28 saves in that victory, his fifth straight over the Islanders. He has a 1.97 goals-against average during that stretch.

New York snapped a three-game losing streak with its first regulation win of the season, 3-1 over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Captain Doug Weight, in his first game back after a three-game absence from the swine flu, assisted on Kyle Okposo's tiebreaking, power-play goal in the second period. Matt Moulson scored his team-leading sixth goal less than a minute into the first.

The win followed two straight overtime losses for the last-place Islanders.

"It's always fun to play them and beat them," Weight said. "It's points that we needed badly."

The Islanders were outshot 15-7 in the third period, but held on thanks to goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who stopped 34 shots to improve to 2-1-3.

"I think consistently for a full game, it was a great game by everybody," said rookie John Tavares, who snapped a four-game pointless streak with a third-period goal, his fourth of the season. "They way we locked it down in the third period and shut them down was great. Everyone played hard, and it was a great game to be a part of."

Roloson started against the Capitals last week and had 21 saves. He hasn't suffered a regulation loss in his last seven outings against them. While Roloson and Martin Biron have alternated starts in the Islanders' last seven games, Biron is 1-3-2 with a 3.03 goals-against average in his last six games against Washington.

Whether Roloson or Biron is in net Friday, Ovechkin will try to extend a five-game point streak versus the Islanders. He has a point in nine of his last 10 games against them.