Capitals get 2 goals from Nic Dowd in win over Blackhawks

Nic Dowd scored twice to help the visiting Washington Capitals defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Sunday night.

Dylan Strome scored his team-leading 11th goal of the season for the Capitals, who have won two in row after losing three straight (0-2-1). Beck Malenstyn had two assists, and Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves.

Philipp Kurashev had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who had won two straight for the first time this season. Connor Bedard had two assists, and Arvid Soderblom made 23 saves.

Both teams were playing the second of back-to-backs.

Alex Ovechkin had his 11th assist of the season, but saw his goal drought extend to 10 games, matching his career high, which ended in March 2017.

Kurashev gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead at 6:49 of the second period, tipping in a centering pass from Seth Jones in the right circle.

Anthony Mantha tied the score 1-1 at 8:11. Connor McMichael lofted the puck into the offensive zone on the rush and Mantha got behind the defense, controlled the puck and slid a backhander past Soderblom for his second goal in two nights.

Strome, who played four seasons for the Blackhawks, gave Washington a 2-1 lead at 13:50. Ovechkin got to a loose puck in the corner and fed Joel Edmundson in the slot. He passed to Strome at the left post for the tip in. It was Edmundson's first point with the Capitals.

Dowd increased the lead to 3-1 at 15:23 when he knocked in a loose puck during a scramble in front after Soderblom made the initial save on Dowd's shot from the left circle on the rush.

Washington scored three second-period goals for the second game in a row.

Dowd made it 4-1 almost 16 minutes into the third period, scoring on a wrist shot from the slot off a pass from Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

Connor Murphy pulled the Blackhawks within 4-2 with 1:42 remaining, converting a perfect cross-ice backhand pass from Bedard during 4-on-4 play.