WASHINGTON — Matt Niskanen scored a goal that wowed the Washington Capitals’ bench, and Alex Ovechkin scored an atypical goal that put him in elite company in hockey history.

Behind a highlight-reel goal from Niskanen and Ovechkin’s 30th of the season, the Capitals came back to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in their traditional Super Bowl Sunday matchup. Ovechkin joined Wayne Gretzky and Mike Gartner as the only players in NHL history to score 30 or more goals in his first 11 seasons.

“It’s not surprising, and he’s going to probably do it another time or two before he’s done,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “Consistency, that’s a part of greatness.”

Ovechkin deflected Karl Alzner’s point shot with his stick in front of Flyers goaltender Steve Mason for his 30th in his 49th game of the season. That tied the score in the second period after a choppy start for the Capitals, so it meant more to Ovechkin in the moment than it does in the scope of the record books.

The NHL-leading Capitals will take whatever offense they can get right now as they’re mired in a season-worst 0-for-17 power-play drought. Another 0-for-2 performance Sunday hurt way less because they killed off all five Philadelphia power plays.

Goaltender Braden Holtby was a big part of that as he made eight of his 33 saves on the penalty kill. Those in front of him, namely Niskanen, Alzner and forwards Brooks Laich and Mike Richards, deserved some credit, too, as a 5-on-3 penalty kill changed the momentum of the game.

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ISLANDERS 8, OILERS 1: Kyle Okposo scored a hat trick after the Islanders opened a commanding early lead with three first-period goals as host New York routed last-place Edmonton.

Thomas Greiss made 30 saves for the Islanders (27-18-6), who moved within three points of the Rangers for second-place in the Metropolitan Division.

Johnny Boychuck, John Tavares and Nikolay Kulemin scored in the opening period, chasing former Islanders netminder Anders Nilsson, who was replaced after Kulemin’s goal by former Ranger Cam Talbot.

Playing his first game since Jan. 12, Greiss was his usual stellar self, improved to 14-6-2 this season, his first with the Islanders.

New York improves to 17-8-3 at Barclays Center after 43 years at Nassau Coliseum.

CANADIENS 2, HURRICANES 1: Sven Andrighetto was the only player to score in a five-round shootout, leading the Montreal to a win at home.

Ben Scrivens stopped all five Carolina shooters, including Eric Staal on the final attempt, to secure the win.

Max Pacioretty scored in regulation for Montreal, which swept a pair of weekend afternoon games after beating Edmonton 5-1 on Saturday.

Jeff Skinner scored for Carolina.


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