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Ovechkin, Capitals outlast Leclaire-less Blue Jackets

Feb 6, 2008 - 5:18 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Alex Ovechkin scored twice, including the game-winner with 2:32 left in overtime, as the Washington Capitals posted a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Defenseman Tom Poti tied the game early in the third and assisted on Ovechkin's game-winner as the Capitals took advantage of the absence of Blue Jackets' goaltender Pascal Leclaire.

The league's leading scorer, Ovechkin took a cross-ice pass from Poti and beat Fredrik Norrena between the pads with a wrist shot for his 45th goal.

Norrena had replaced Leclaire, who left the game in the second period with a neck injury after two players collided with him.

"The guys give me space and I see empty net to his right side, so I just shot it there," said Ovechkin, who was held scoreless for only the 10th time all season in a 2-0 loss to Atlanta on Saturday.

"His shot is so deadly," said Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, who took over for Glen Hanlon on November 22. "The wrist shot of his, I've been here 32 games and it amazes me every day."

The Capitals, who had been shut out in two of their previous three contests, were glad to see Leclaire leave. The eighth overall pick of the 2001 draft leads the league with eight shutouts.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets lost more than a game.

"Leclaire has a neck contusion," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He will be evaluated further (on Wednesday). He is not going to make the road trip to Phoenix and San Jose.

"It was unfortunate he got hurt. He seemed to have a real beat on the game and was playing terrific and giving us every opportunity to win the game."

Poti tied the game at 3-3 with 6:53 left in the third period, but not without some controversy. Poti fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Norrena from the right faceoff circle that bounced off the inside of the right goalpost and out.

Officials originally did not rule it a goal, but after video review, the call was overturned.

"We knew it was a goal," Poti said. "We saw the puck go in, and I am glad they did the review and got it right."

Poti and Ovechkin helped the Capitals avoid a disappointing loss. Columbus took a 3-2 lead 4:02 into the third as All-Star Rick Nash scored his second goal of the game with an assist from referee Bill McCreary.

Nash skated into the offensive zone with Washington defenseman Shaone Morrisonn trailing him. But as Nash cut to the net, Morrisonn ran into McCreary, effectively removing him from the play.

Nash proceeded to fire a wrist shot over the shoulder of netminder Brent Johnson, giving the Blue Jackets the edge.

"You take them any way you can get them," said Nash, who had been held without a point in his previous four games. "I was just able to beat the goalie, but the main thing is, we needed the two points."

"What are you going to do, that's an act of the game," Boudreau said. "I am sure there is no one in the arena more than Bill McCreary that didn't want to be where he was at that time. I am just glad it wasn't a deciding factor in the outcome. It was an accident on his part, and there is nothing you can do."

Johnson stopped 28 shots for Washington, which bounced back from a 2-0 loss to Atlanta on Saturday.

The Blue Jackets led, 2-0, thanks to first-period goals by Nash and Jason Chimera. But Ovechkin halved the deficit with his 44th goal at 13:34 of the second.

Columbus then caught a bad break as Leclaire was pushed backward into the net after colliding with Washington's Quintin Laing and Blue Jackets defenseman Jan Hejda with 4:38 left in the second.

A little less than three minutes later, Alexander Semin tied the game at 2-2 with his 13th goal of the season.

Norrena stopped 10 shots for Columbus, which has lost four straight.

"Hopefully, (Leclaire) is going to be OK," Columbus defenseman Rostislav Klesla said. "But we have faith in Freddy (Norrena), too. Both goalies played well."