PITTSBURGH - -Alex Ovechkin scored twice and the streaking Washington Capitals scored the final four goals to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3, on Thursday night in the first game this season between two of the NHL's elite teams.

Tomas Fleischmann scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and set up Nicklas Backstrom's breakaway goal less than a minute later for Washington, which won its fifth in a row and eighth in nine games and improved to 4-0-1 against Pittsburgh during the past two seasons, although the Penguins won when it mattered most - in the playoffs.

Eric Fehr and Mike Knuble also scored for the Caps.