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Ovechkin, Capitals set to face Oilers

Jan 17, 2008 - 2:25 PM Edmonton (21-22-4) at Washington (16-21-5) 7:00 pm EST

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals shoot for their fourth win in five games when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Ovechkin is second in the NHL with 34 goals and has nine tallies in the last nine games. The All-Star left wing was rewarded last week with a 13-year, $124 million contract.

In Ovechkin's first two seasons, Washington finished 14th in the Eastern Conference, totaling 70 points in each of two campaigns.

Currently 13th in the conference standings, the Capitals took down the top team in the East on Tuesday, beating the Ottawa Senators, 4-2. Ovechkin scored in the win and left wing Alexander Semin tallied twice.

The Oilers have been having a rough season as well, currently sitting in last place in the Northwest Division. They lost, 3-1, to the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, snapping a season-high four-game winning streak.

Goaltender Mathieu Garon has played well lately, winning all four games during the recent streak without allowing more than two goals in any of the contests.