Alex Ocechkin Fist Hat Trick Agains the Ducks

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, of Russia, celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) "" Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals drew a rare standing-room-only crowd in their only visit to Anaheim this season.

The 3-time MVP put on a show, as well.

Ovechkin scored twice in the first menstruum to take over the NHL lead in goals and prepare Andre Burakovsky's two scores during his 19th career iv-indicate game, sending the Washington Capitals to a 5-three victory over the Ducks on Sunday.

"We've got so many practiced players on the team, merely of course, Ovi's one of the best," Burakovsky said after his first 2-goal game in the NHL. "He's been really adept this flavor, and his shot is incredible. So it'southward really important for united states of america that Ovi's playing good. Those were two actually important goals he scored at the beginning to keep u.s.a. in the game."

Marcus Johansson got the become-alee goal at 3:27 of the 2d period, and Justin Peters made 30 saves in his ninth get-go of the flavor. Braden Holtby, who leads all NHL goalies in games and minutes played, got the day off following Saturday night's 3-one loss to the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.

"We should have been able to have a sample out of what 50.A. did to them last night," Ducks motorbus Bruce Boudreau said. "All they did was end checks and stop checks and wear them down. That's what we were supposed to do, just plainly, the game plan didn't work. Once nosotros stopped finishing our checks, they got the mobility to move the puck and nosotros couldn't stop them."

Andrew Cogliano had ii goals and Corey Perry netted his squad-high 24th for the ii-time defending Pacific Segmentation champion Ducks, who lost left wing Matt Beleskey and defenseman Sami Vatanen in the first period due to undisclosed injuries.

Both of Ovechkin's goals tied the score, the first coming 16 seconds afterward Cogliano opened the scoring. Nicklas Backstrom won a faceoff from Ryan Getzlaf deep in the Ducks zone and Ovechkin stopped the puck with his left skate earlier beating John Gibson with a 35-foot slap shot between the pads at ane:22 of the opening menses.

Perry regained the pb for Anaheim at five:53, beating Peters low to the glove side with a 30-foot wrist shot. Ovechkin responded with i-timer from the top of the left circle that crush Gibson to the glove side. It was the 36th goal for the Capitals' helm, putting him one ahead of Rick Nash of the New York Rangers.

Information technology was the 7th fourth dimension this season that Ovechkin scored the Capitals' kickoff two goals, and the fifth fourth dimension in the team'south terminal fourteen games. The five-time All-Star, who has led the NHL in goals four times during his ten-year career, has 20 in his last 22 games.

Ovechkin increased his overall total to 458 in the regular season "" overtaking Detroit Crimson Wings great Alex Delvecchio for 54th on the career list.

"Ovechkin's a great role player. Everybody knows who he is and how he plays," Boudreau said. "When he's on, he's hard to finish. And when y'all requite him ii goals early, he's going to experience it for the residue of the game."

Johansson gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead they did not relinquish, getting a long tape-to-tape pass on the fly from defenseman Matt Niskanen and beating Gibson low to the stick side with a 25-foot wrist shot.

"With the mode they play, we gave them way likewise many like shooting fish in a barrel goals," Cogliano said. "A lot of them were off the rush, and a couple of them were 2-on-1s. When y'all give opportunities like that to a skilled team, they beat you."

Another long lead laissez passer by Ovechkin to Burakovsky fix the left fly'south goal at 9:04 of the second, and Burakovsky made it 5-3 at 9:48 of the tertiary with his 9th of the season at the end of a two-on-1 interruption with Ovechkin.

"We know we can't trade chances with a track-meet squad. We don't take that kind of team," Boudreau said. "And when you commencement trading chances, nosotros're not going to exist successful. Information technology'due south mentioned almost every day. Our guys got caught upwardly in it a little fleck when we got behind."

NOTES: A moment of silence was observed in memory of former Ducks defenseman Steve Montador, who died Sunday at historic period 35. ... Ovechkin hasn't had a chapeau trick since Dec. 10, 2013, when he scored iv goals confronting Tampa Bay'due south Ben Bishop in Washington's half-dozen-five shootout win. ... Ovechkin has 9 goals in 11 career games confronting the Ducks "" including a hat trick against Jean-Sebastien Giguere in his kickoff game confronting them, a 3-2 victory on Jan. thirteen, 2006, at Anaheim. ... Boudreau has guided the Ducks and Capitals to a combined 5 division titles. Anaheim leads the Pacific by 11 points over San Jose with 25 games left. ... Boudreau was fired by the Capitals on November. 28, 2011, 2 days before he replaced Randy Carlyle in Anaheim. Since then, the Ducks are 146-70-29 in the regular flavor and Washington is 125-88-34.