WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Alex Ovechkin scored with 1:14 left, and Michal Neuvirth made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season in the Washington Capitals’ 1-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
Ovechkin took a drop pass from Marcus Johansson at the Winnipeg blue-line and fired a shot through Ondrej Pavelec’s pads for his 10th of the season.
Washington improved to 4-4 since Dale Hunter took over as coach.
Pavelec made 27 saves for Winnipeg. The Jets had won five straight at home.
It was the third of six meetings this season between the Southeast Division rivals. The Jets beat Washington in Winnipeg and lost on the road in overtime.
Neuvirth was forced to make a number of big saves in the first period as the Jets outshot the Capitals 14-7 and had the lone power play.
Winnipeg had two more power plays in the second, but only put one shot on Neuvirth with the man advantage.
Washington, which also had a power play in the second, sent 12 shots at Pavelec, who was making his 27th start of the season.
Ovechkin, who was booed every time he touched the puck, didn’t have a shot on goal until late in the second period.
The teams traded power plays in the third period, but the Jets didn’t even get one shot on Neuvirth with their advantage.
The Capitals went ahead on shots on goal late in third, but Pavelec kept them out with a couple of big saves before Ovechkin’s winner.
NOTES: Jets forward Jim Slater played his 400th NHL game, all with the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise. … Ovechkin has up 65 points in his career against the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise, more than any other team he’s played against.
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