Ovechkin scores first goals of season in star turn for Capitals (VIDEO)

Alexander Ovechkin scored his first goals of the season as the Russian star helped the Washington Capitals to a 6-4 victory over the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.

Ovechkin struck 56 seconds into the game on a power play and scored again with just under three minutes remaining of regulation time when he turned in a pass from compatriot Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Ovechkin also had two assists in a standout performance at Capital One Arena which earned him the NHL’s Star of the Night accolade.

Suffering back-to-back defeats to open the season, the Capitals have now won successive games after beating the Montreal Canadiens in Washington at the weekend.

“Obviously, previous games pretty good chances, but even today you know first one was kind of luck, but in this situation you kind of take it and move on,” Ovechkin, 37, said of his night’s work against the Canucks on Monday.

The goals edged the big Russian closer to second spot in the all-time NHL scoring list.

Ovechkin now stands on 782 goals, just 19 short of Gordie Howe’s tally of 801. Beyond that is all-time leader Wayne Gretzky on 894 goals.   

Russian forward Kuznetsov had three assists on what was a landmark night as the 30-year-old forward reached 500 points in the NHL. 

After the Capitals rallied from 4-2 down, scoring four unanswered goals in the third period, coach Peter Laviolette praised his team’s efforts.   

“Maybe our best third period of the year and our best offensive period of the year,” said Laviolette.

There was controversy, however, as Kuznetsov was seen striking Canucks defenseman Kyle Burroughs in the face with his stick, in an incident which earned the Russian a two-minute penalty but could warrant further sanction.  

Elsewhere, Russian winger Artemi Panarin continued his impressive start to the season with a goal and three assists as the New York Rangers beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-4 at Madison Square Garden.

Panarin’s tally of 10 points thus far this season is a franchise record for the Rangers through the first four games of a campaign.

Stanley Cup champions the Colorado Avalanche earned a 6-3 win on the road at the Minnesota Wild, as Russian winger Valeri Nichushkin – who signed a bumper new deal at the Avs before the season – scored and had two assists.

Compatriot Kirill Kaprizov scored twice for Minnesota, although they remain winless after three games of the season.

Russian veteran Evgeny Malkin was on target for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but the 36-year-old’s two goals were not enough to prevent his team from sliding to a 3-2 overtime loss at the Canadiens.