By Canadian Press

Carlson scores twice for Washington Capitals in 5-3 win over Calgary Flames

Oct 22, 2019 | 8:57 PM

CALGARY — Defenceman John Carlson’s two goals paced the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Carlson scored and added an empty-netter for an NHL-leading 20 points (five goals, 15 assists.)

Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist and Tom Wilson also scored for Washington (7-2-2), while Chandler Stephenson got the credit on a Flames own-goal.

Braden Holtby posted 32 saves for the win.

Elias Lindholm with his team-leading sixth goal, Tobias Rieder and Austin Czarnik countered for the Flames (5-5-1).

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Cam Talbot stopped 25 shots in his second straight start of the season for Calgary.

The Capitals won their fourth in a row while the Flames suffered their first loss in regulation at home this season.

Rieder scored with 16 seconds remaining in the game after Carlson’s empty-net goal at 18:15.

Wilson made it 4-2 on a feed from Lars Eller to beat Talbot under his left pad at 12:34 of the third period.

Ten seconds after Czarnik pulled the Flames even at 2-2 in the second, Ovechkin quieted the Saddledome with a go-ahead goal at 16:35.

The Caps’ captain took a backhand dish from Nicklas Backstrom on a two-on-one and wired the puck home for his seventh goal of the season.

Czarnik scored his first by pouncing on a loose puck and sweeping it past Holtby during a goal-mouth scramble for a T.J. Brodie rebound.

Trailing after two quick Washington goals in the first three minutes of the second period, Lindholm halved the deficit with a power-play goal at 3:19.

The Swede wristed a cross-ice feed from Johnny Gaudreau over Holtby’s glove.

Stephenson’s centring pass from behind Calgary’s net deflected off Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson and into the host team’s net at 2:41.

Talbot mishandled Carlson’s off-speed shot from the boards for Washington’s first goal of the game 35 seconds into the period.

Calgary outshot the Caps 15-9 in a scoreless first period.

Washington was held scoreless on three power-play chances. Calgary went 1-for-4.

The Flames are home to the Florida Panthers and Washington continues on the road against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Notes: Carlson is five points back of Kevin Hatcher (426) for the third-most points by a Capitals defenceman in franchise history. … Ovechkin is four goals from passing Luc Robitaille (668) for 12th in all-time NHL scoring. … Flames forward Sam Bennett was scratched a second straight game with an undisclosed injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2019.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press