St.  Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Alex Ovechkin scored his 50th goal of the 
season and added two assists, leading the Washington Capitals to a 4-1 victory 
over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. 

Nicklas  Backstrom  had two  goals and  Mikhail Grabovski  also scored for the 
Capitals,  who have won  two games in a row on the heels of a five-game losing 
streak. 

Washington  remains alive --  if only just -- in the hunt for a wild-card spot 
in the playoffs, trailing Columbus by four points with three games remaining. 

"All we can do is control our own situation," said Caps coach Adam Oates. 

Braden  Holtby had  28 saves in the  win as the Caps swept the two-game season 
series with St. Louis. 

Maxim  Lapierre  scored for the Blues,  who have lost  three games in a row as 
they  cling  to a one-point  lead over Anaheim for  first place in the Western 
Conference, and a small lead over Colorado in the Central Division. 

St.  Louis  hasn't scored more than  two goals in  its last six games, but not 
everyone is worried by the recent paltry output. 

"The  last few  we haven't been scoring  but we've had guys scoring all year," 
said Blues forward Alexander Steen. 

Ryan Miller gave up four goals on 22 shots. 

Ovechkin  reached the 50-goal  plateau for the fifth time in his career -- and 
first  time since 2009-10  -- with a one-timer from the left circle on a power 
play with 2:06 left in the opening period. 

"I'm  pretty sure  my family's happy and  my teammates are happy for me," said 
Ovechkin.  "I  appreciate everyone who  gives me the  opportunity to be in the 
right spot." 

Lapierre tied it 2:39 into the second period, scoring on a rebound after Steve 
Ott's shot from the high left side. 

But the Caps scored three in a row to end the game, beginning with Grabovski's 
slap shot from the left circle 8:52 into the second period. 

Backstrom's  first goal from the slot on Ovechkin's assist came with 1:10 left 
in the second and he added a power-play goal 16 seconds into the third period, 
again  off an assist from Ovechkin, who found his teammate on a cross-ice pass 
to the right side. 

                                   Game Notes 

The  Capitals play Carolina on the road Thursday ... The Blues also have three 
games left. They start a two-game road trip Thursday against Minnesota.