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Blue Jackets-Capitals Preview

Oct 31, 2009 - 7:03 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Columbus (6-5-1) at Washington (8-2-3), 5:00 p.m. EDT

Alex Ovechkin continued his scoring binge, but he couldn't help the Washington Capitals further their lengthy win streak.

Ovechkin will try to help the Capitals bounce back Sunday against the only team to keep him goalless in multiple games last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Capitals (8-2-3) had their six-game run snapped in Friday night's 4-3 overtime loss to the visiting New York Islanders, but Ovechkin opened the scoring with his fifth goal in three games and league-leading 14th.

Washington, however, blew that one-goal advantage and another in the second period after Tomas Fleischmann scored back-to-back goals, his first two this season.

"A lot of these games we've escaped," forward Brendan Morrison said. "We just didn't put them away when we had the chance."

Ovechkin could have new linemates Sunday as coach Bruce Boudreau indicated he's given serious consideration to breaking up the team's top line featuring the two-time Hart Trophy winner, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin.

"I thought they were way too fancy and way too cute," Boudreau said. "They could have had four or five goals if they were really sharp. That's why sometimes you want to break that line up because they look for each other instead of shooting the puck."

That could help Ovechkin and the Capitals end their respective droughts against the Blue Jackets (6-5-1).

Behind Calder Trophy-winning goaltender Steve Mason, Columbus posted a pair of 3-0 victories over Washington and was the only team to keep the Southwest Division champions from scoring in 2008-09.

Mason, though, has struggled through much of this season, posting a 3.48 goals-against average in 10 starts. He's also 1-3-1 with a 4.53 GAA in his last five starts, which include all three losses during Columbus' current skid (0-2-1).

He was second in the league as a rookie with a 2.29 GAA and had an NHL-best 10 shutouts.

Mason had the chance to end that losing streak Friday night but couldn't stop Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby's shot from trickling over the line in a 4-3 shootout defeat.

"It hit my stick and I didn't get it settled until it was over the line," Mason said. "It just trickled over, and I was too late on it."

Before the shootout, the Blue Jackets failed to hold a 2-0 lead given to them by Rick Nash. Since beginning the season by winning five of six, Columbus is 1-4-1 despite holding a lead or being tied in four of those defeats.

"We're not closing games," Nash said. "We are a team that needs to learn how to play with the lead."

Mathieu Garon, who is 1-1-0 with a 2.61 GAA, didn't make a great case for more playing time by blowing a three-goal lead in Edmonton on Oct. 22. He is 2-1-1 with a 2.23 GAA in four career starts against the Capitals.

Washington's Jose Theodore has alternated losses and wins in the last five meetings, including a defeat Jan. 9 at the Verizon Center. Semyon Varlamov, who has started 5-0-0 despite a 3.20 GAA, has never faced the Blue Jackets.

Before getting swept last season, the Capitals were 6-1-0 with one tie all-time against Columbus, and Ovechkin scored four goals in his previous two matchups.