3 points night for Ovechkin

 Bolts 4, Caps 7.
3 points night for Ovechkin, the highest in the team, 1 goal and 2 asissts. Chris Clark was one assist short of Gordie Howe hat-trick. Obviously Bolts threw everything at Caps, and in previous seasons Caps could lose, but not now... This team is much much better...

Ovechkin set up two goals, first goal was scored by Collins, it was his first NHL goal, and second goal setup scored by Green was very similar, and you could read Green's lips when Ovechkin skated to him after the goal: "Great pass".

Ovechkin's total ice time was 22:26, average shift 00:51, 4 shots on goal, 3 hits. Joe Beninati said that for the first time in the previous game Mike Green had more shots on goal than Ovechkin. This time only Brooks Laich had the same number of shots as Ovechkin. Like in a previous game after his grandfather's death, Ovechkin was not the same, he just was not that energetic and jubilant.

The game was overshadowed by Jamie Heward's injury who was taken into the hospital after innocent looking collision near the boards with Ovechkin. I still couldn't get what happened there, the replay showed Ovechkin barely touched Heward who went down.

What is scary, Heward didn't move at all... Let's hope Jamie is ok.

Capitals Insider:

Heward was hit into the boards by Alex Ovechkin...

Maybe it's just wrong wording, but 'hit into the boards' means boarding... I disagree, there was a contact, but it was nowhere close to boarding, in fact when Jamie hit the boards, Ovechkin hit the boards next to him with his back... The refs always give a boarding penalty if the injury is severe no matter what, it was not the case tonight...

Update:
AP:

WASHINGTON - Instead of celebrating another home victory, Alex Ovechkin bowed his head and sat silently on a table outside the Tampa Bay Lightning dressing room.

After scoring a goal and adding two assists to help the Washington Capitals beat Tampa Bay 7-4 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory, Ovechkin was worried about a former teammate who was injured on the Russian star's hard check.

Tampa Bay defenceman Jamie Heward, a Capital from 2005-07, left the ice on a stretcher with 13:15 remaining after being checked hard into the glass by Ovechkin. Heward was turning in the left corner when Ovechkin, leading with his shoulder and forearm, sent him tumbling.

Clad only in a towel, Ovechkin waited in the hallway for an update on Heward, who sustained a concussion and was taken to Sibley Memorial Hospital, where he was to be held overnight for further evaluation.

"I didn't know what to think," Ovechkin said. "I saw him and he turned around and ... I didn't mean to hit him. Sure, you're concerned. I want to know how he is."

Heward was face-down and motionless on the ice for about four minutes before being carefully rolled onto a backboard by paramedics and doctors. Ovechkin, worry etched on a face used to jubilant celebrations, waited in front of the Capitals bench before skating over to check on Heward.

"It was an accident and I'm very sorry," Ovechkin said. "I never want to hurt somebody, especially my old teammate. It's hard and I'm very sorry, but it's a game and it's a moment. He turns and I have speed. ... I hope he is OK."

Lightning coach Rick Tocchet didn't think Ovechkin's hit was premeditated or dirty, but left open the possibility that it could have drawn a penalty, considering the NHL's crackdown on blows to the head.

Ovechkin has stepped up his physical game this season, leaving more than one opponent rattled by a bone-jarring check. Tocchet, whose team was already short a defenceman because of injuries to Lukas Krajicek and Paul Ranger, thought Ovechkin left his feet before making contact.

"I was more concerned that (Heward's) arms and legs were moving so we could tell his wife," Tocchet said, adding that Heward was unconscious for about 90 seconds. "I felt sick for her, sitting at home and watching the game and seeing her husband on the ice. ... It made us feel a little bit better - temporary relief."