National Hockey League

Capitals' Ovechkin scores winner in return vs. Islanders

Published Feb. 4, 2016 11:26 p.m. ET

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WASHINGTON (AP) Alex Ovechkin scored the winning goal in his return from a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game, and the Washington Capitals avoided a third straight loss by beating the New York Islanders 3-2 on Thursday night.

Ovechkin scored off a pass from Nicklas Backstrom with 2:40 left to help Washington end a rare two-game skid. The Capitals hadn't lost three games in a row all season.

T.J. Oshie and Andre Burakovsky also scored for the Capitals. Braden Holtby stopped 24 of the 26 shots he faced for the victory in his return to the net.

The Islanders' Jaroslav Halak made 20 saves. Mikhail Grabovski and Josh Bailey had New York's goals in a rematch of a first-round playoff series from last spring.

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