Blues struggle to slow Caps in 5-2 loss

CAPITALS 5, BLUES 2

Braden Holtby made 23 saves to lift host Washington over St. Louis.

Alex Ovechkin, Brett Connolly, Devante Smith-Pelly, Nic Dowd and T.J. Oshie scored for Washington (3-3-1). Ten Capitals recorded a point in the game, which saw Washington score four goals in the third period.

Robert Thomas and Jordan Schmaltz scored for St. Louis (4-3-0). Jake Allen started for the Blues and made six saves in the first period. He was replaced by Chad Johnson, who made 15 saves on 19 shots in the second and third periods.

Washington right winger Tom Wilson was assessed a 10-minute match penalty for a blindside check to the head of Blues center Oskar Sundqvist 5:22 into the second period. Sundqvist did not return, and there weren't any updates about his condition after the game.