ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alex Ovechkin had three goals to reach 50 for the seventh time, Braden Holtby won his 48th game to tie the NHL single-season record and the Washington Capitals dashed the St. Louis Blues’ Central Division title hopes with a convincing 5-1 victory on Saturday night.
Vladimir Tarasenko started the scoring with his 40th after getting the tying and winning goals in an overtime victory Thursday at Chicago. The Blues had little else in their regular season finale and finished with the third seed in the Western Conference, pitting them against the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.
Washington, the runaway President’s Trophy winners and Eastern Conference champions, will open against the Flyers.
Ovechkin is the third player in NHL history with seven 50-goal seasons, joining Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky.
