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SPORTS Monday 3 February 2020

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois scores against
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price as Canadiens’
Ben Chiarot defends during second-period NHL hockey game
action in Montreal, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020.
Associated Press
Dubois, Blue Jackets Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, skates next to Pittsburgh Penguins
center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020,
beat Canadiens 4-3, in Washington. Associated Press

sweep season series Penguins beat Capitals in 50th

Luc Dubois scored twice there was belief in here be- game between Crosby, Ovechkin
didn't happen tonight but
MONTREAL (AP) — Pierre-
and added an assist to lift tween periods.
the Columbus Blue Jackets "We couldn't get it done in By STEPHEN WHYNO AP debuts during the 2005-06 who allowed goals to Sam
over the Montreal Cana- the third." Hockey Writer season. Keeping Ovechkin Lafferty, Patric Hornqvist,
diens 4-3 Sunday. Both teams were playing WASHINGTON (AP) — Sid- in check was a big rea- Simon and Brandon Tanev
Vladislav Gavrikov and the second game of a ney Crosby got the better of son for this victory. Ovech- on 33 shots. In his first ca-
Gustav Nyquist also scored back-to-back series. Co- Alex Ovechkin in their 50th kin was held off the score reer start against the Pen-
as Columbus swept the lumbus lost 2-1 in overtime regular-season meeting sheet and remained at 37 guins, Samsonov gave up
season series. The Blue to the Buffalo Sabres on and set the stage for more goals this season and 695 one goal short side, one off
Jackets have picked up Saturday, and Price beat drama down the stretch. for his career. his stick, one on a rebound
at least a point in eight the Florida Panthers 4-0. Crosby had an assist, Matt "He's going to get his and was victimized by a
straight games. The Jackets have topped Murray made 29 saves and chances," Crosby said. bad bounce late.
"We didn't play a full 60 the Canadiens in four the Pittsburgh Penguins "He had some really good "I thought he was fine,"
minutes but we played well straight games, including beat the Washington Capi- looks. He's consistent, and coach Todd Reirden said.
enough to get the win," all three meetings this sea- tals 4-3 Sunday in the bitter he finds ways every game, "A couple bounces don't
Dubois said. "At this point son. rivals' first matchup this sea- whether it's in the usual go his way, so he'd prob-
of the year, when it's just a Building off their impressive son. Pittsburgh crept within spot where he gets it or ably like that back. But we'll
race to make the playoffs, shutout Saturday, the Ca- four points of Metropolitan it's around the net. You've learn something about him
it's a huge win for us." nadiens were strong out Division-leading Washing- just got to try to limit them, and how he can be a little
Elvis Merzlikins made 27 of the gate and jumped ton with one extra game and you need some saves, bit more solid in his next op-
saves and improved to 10- ahead to a 7-1 advantage to play, and they'll face off too, and we were able to portunity of a game of this
2-0 since replacing injured in shots on goal. three more times over the get that." Murray was sol- magnitude."
starter Joonas Korpisalo. Gavrikov scored the open- next two months. id, rewarding coach Mike Tempers flared several
"Overall the team played er for Columbus at 12:45, a "This is the kind of games Sullivan for the start over times between the Pen-
well," Merzlikins said. "We wrist shot from the faceoff we're going to see from All-Star Tristan Jarry. One guins and Capitals, who
blocked shots, which was dot for the defenseman's here on in with the inten- of his biggest stops came met in the playoffs three
awesome. Even if it's back- fifth of the season. sity and emotion and play- on a breakaway by Jakub of the past four years. They
to-back after the break, we The play started when Du- off kind of mentality," said Vrana in the second period racked up 13 penalties
skated well and were fast." bois stole the puck from Crosby, who now has 12 with the Penguins leading and, despite all the star
Tomas Tatar, Max Domi Ryan Poehling along the points in seven games since 2-1, and Dominik Simon power, combined to go 0
and Shea Weber scored half wall. returning from a long injury scored minutes later to for 9 on the power play.
for the Canadiens, who re- Dubois beat Price on a absence. "There's enough double the lead. Lars Eller was the best play-
main eight points out of a long breakaway from his guys around that have Murray also got a piece of er on the ice and scored
playoff spot with 28 games own blue line at 3:31. We- played in these games for a shot by Ovechkin late in twice for Washington, and
left. Carey Price started for ber's aggressive pinch, and a long time, and for new the third period with the Evgeny Kuznetsov added a
the second straight day Tatar's failure to track back, guys it seems like they get Penguins clinging to a lead third-period goal.
and stopped 23 of 26 shots. led to Montreal's defensive a feel right away for the in- and the Capitals pressing. "He's a horse for us every
"You look around the breakdown. tensity and emotion of the "It was Ovi who picked it night," Capitals winger
league and teams come Tatar made up for the mis- game." up, and he made a nice Tom Wilson said of Eller. "He
back from down two or take six minutes later when The Penguins are 2-0 out move," Murray said. "He works extremely hard. He
three goals in a period," he got the Canadiens on of their bye week and kind of held on to it instead takes care of himself. He's
Weber said. the board. Tatar scored have won five of seven of just shooting it. I just tried a great pro. On a night
"The discussion in here was glove-side on Merzlikins, since Crosby came back. to get over there as fast as I like tonight he's just one of
that it was definitely pos- seconds after Nick Suzuki They've won 31 of the 50 could." Pittsburgh made life those players that when
sible. If you don't believe, intercepted Dubois's pass Crosby versus Ovechkin difficult on rookie Capitals he's going he can't be de-
it's not going to happen. It in his own zone.q games dating to their NHL goaltender Ilya Samsonov, nied." q