Feisty Ovechkin posts 2 assists in preseason debut, Caps stay unbeaten by beating Bruins

Ovechkin posts 2 assists, Capitals edge Bruins 3-2

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin recorded a pair of assists in a feisty preseason debut, helping the Washington Capitals defeat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Ovechkin took three shots and delivered several checks. With 3:03 left in the game, Ovechkin got into a shoving match after being run into the boards headfirst by Gregory Campbell. Ovechkin retaliated by slashing Campbell with a one-handed stick swing, and both players earned minor penalties.

The Capitals are unbeaten in three exhibition games.

Alexander Semin’s power-play goal late in the second period snapped a 1-1 tie. Mathieu Perreault and Cody Eakin also scored for Washington.

Jeremy Reich and Brad Marchand had goals for the Bruins.

Perreault and Reich traded first-period goals. With Ovechkin assisting, Perreault connected on a wrist shot from the right circle 8:40 into the game. But Reich beat Michal Neuvirth from the left wing on a counterattack at 14:13.

With 46 seconds left in the second period and Reich serving a minor penalty, Semin gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead. He converted Ovechkin’s feed by ripping a hard shot from the left circle past Nolan Schaeffer.

Eakin’s goal made it 3-1 with 14:33 remaining in the third. Eakin used defenseman Adam McQuaid as a screen and scored from between the circles.

Marchand scored from the right wing with 9:04 left to get Boston within 3-2.