NHL Scores: Ovechkin propels Capitals, Scrivens outduels Lundqvist

Don’t forget Ovi.

Nov 18, 2013, 1:00 PM UTC

Patrick Smith

It seems like Alex Ovechkin is easily forgotten these days.

As his goal production slipped the last few seasons, fans and media alike were quick to say he’d peaked. He was done. The “old Ovi” was a thing of the past. Then he went out and won the Hart Trophy last season.

Once again, Ovechkin is enjoying a very successful season. And once again, he's being overshadowed. Alexander Steen has come out of nowhere to claim the NHL scoring lead, and the two finally faced off on Sunday. As he's done many times before, Ovechkin propelled his team to a win and netted a few goals along the way.

Same old Ovi. His performance was just one of many exciting moments on a busy Sunday.

All the NHL Scores

Blue Jackets 4, Senators 1

Capitals 4, Blues 1

Kings 1, Rangers 0

Blackhawks 5, Sharks 1

Wild 2, Jets 1

Stars 2, Canucks 1

Five Takeaways

1. Which Alex plays better: Ovechkin or Steen?

Alexander Steen didn’t play badly, but we have to give the nod here to the man with the game-winning goals. Alex Ovechkin was a tour-de-force on Sunday, scoring the opening two goals of the game for Washington. Steen and Ovechkin are now tied for the league-lead with 17 goals.

2. Can the Stars top line continue their road dominance?

Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn both assisted on Valeri Nichushkin's opening goal on Sunday. Benn was a monster again, registering four shots on goal while frustrating the likes of Ryan Kesler with his physicality. The top line set the tone for the Stars in a 2-1 win.

3. Speaking of sweeps, how about those Kings?

Beating King Henrik is a tall task, and he gave Los Angeles a run for their money. Tyler Toffoli was able to beat him during a scramble around the goal mouth in the second period, and that was all the Kings needed. Ben Scrivens put up another excellent performance in net for L.A., stopping all 25 shots he faced.

4. Will the Jets and Wild finish without a shootout?

Boy, it sure looked like we’d see more overtime hockey in Minnesota. As the game wore on, the scoring chances for both teams were few and far between. Thankfully, Mikku Koivu came to the rescue in the final minutes for Minnesota:

5. Will the Chicago Blackhawks bounce back?

Let’s ask this kid.

Impact Moment

The one play or moment from Sunday that is going to be making headlines over the next couple of days

The biggest moment on Sunday probably happened on a plane. The Edmonton Oilers called up Ilya Bryzgalov from the Oklahoma City Barons after two starts in the AHL. The only question is whether he's ready or not. He went 1-1 with a 3.03 goals-against average and .880 save percentage in Oklahoma. Not the biggest sample size, but you have to hope for his sake that he's ready to jump back into the media storm.

Stat of the Night

Your early leader in the clubhouse for the Vezina Trophy is Josh Harding. What a story. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last season, and many wondered if his career would be cut short. A year later, he leads the league with a 1.25 goals against average and .946 save percentage, with only 20 goals allowed in 17 games.