NHL

• Ovechkin, Caps try to stay hot in LA

  
  

  (Sports Network) - Needless to say, Washington's Alex Ovechkin has put his slow start behind him. The NHL's reigning leading scorer with aim to extend his point streak to six games tonight, as the Capitals visit the Los Angeles Kings and the Staples Center.

  Ovechkin posted 65 goals and 112 points last season, but managed only five points through his first nine games. However, the Russian playmaker has posted six goals and eight assists over his last five games while also recording at least two points a game in that span. That multi-point streak is tied with Dennis Maruk (1980-81) for the longest such run in team history.

  Ovechkin is coming off a four-point game, as he posted a goal and three assists in a 6-4 victory over Anaheim on Wednesday, Washington's sixth in seven games. The Capitals have notched at least a point in eight straight games (6-0-2), their best run since going 10-0 with a pair of ties from January 28-February 24, 2001.

  Making his third straight start for an injury Brent Johnson, Jose Theodore stopped 28-of-32 shots in the win. Nicklas Backstrom had a goal to push his points streak to six games, amassing three goals and 10 assists in that span.

  Mike Green scored and had an assist before leaving in the first period with a right shoulder injury. Green's goal was his seventh of the season, as he led all NHL defenseman last year with 18 goals. However, his injury, which has him questionable for tonight, is just the latest for a Caps club that also has Shaone Morrisonn (groin), Sergei Fedorov (ankle), Johnson (hip) and Alexander Semin (upper body) hurting.

  Semin has missed the last two games and was key for Washington during Ovechkin's early-season struggles. Semin leads the Capitals with 13 goals and 27 points and is tied with Ovechkin and Backstrom with a club-high 14 assists.

  The Capitals are 1-0-1 on a five-game road trip to push their record as the visiting club to 4-4-2.

  The Kings are one of only three NHL clubs that Ovechkin has never scored against. They would like that trend to continue tonight, though Ovechkin does have three assists in his two career tests against them.

  Los Angeles was blanked by the Ducks, 2-0, on Sunday, and has been outscored 5-1 over a two-game slide that follows four straight wins. The Kings failed to get any of their 29 shots by Anaheim's Jonas Hiller, while LA's Erik Ersberg made 24 saves, as the Kings were shut out for the fourth time this year.

  Ersberg, the first Swedish goaltender in Kings history, has still been a solid contributor for Los Angeles this year. He is 4-3-1 with a 1.96 goals against average in nine games this year and a start tonight would be his first against the Capitals.

  Anze Kopitar has a goal and five assists over his last six games. He leads LA with 11 assists and 13 points this year and has scored in his only other game versus the Capitals.

  The Kings have won three of their last four at home and are 5-5-2 overall at the Staples Center this year. However, Washington has won three of its last four trips to LA and two straight in the series overall.

  The two clubs haven't met in the City of Angels since December 14, 2005.

  11/20 10:53:49 ET