(Ottawa) Josh Norris scored two goals in his first game of the season and the Ottawa Senators beat the Washington Capitals 6-1 on Wednesday night.
Norris had missed the first three games of the season, as well as the preparatory meetings. The center player had shoulder surgery in January.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Artem Zub, Claude Giroux and Jake Sanderson also scored for the Senators (3-1-0), who have won three games in a row. Anton Forsberg stopped 23 pucks.
The Capitals, who were playing on the road for the first time this campaign, had good chances in the first period, but it was the Senators who took advantage of their chances, and the opponent’s defensive flaws.
John Carlson scored for the Capitals, while Darcy Kuemper blocked 23 shots.
Trailing 5-1 in the third period, the Capitals only had three shots on goal, while Sanderson added a sixth goal for his team.
The Senators scored three straight goals in the second period to take a 5-1 lead.
Norris scored his second of the match by beating Kuemper on the glove side, 1:47 into the second period. Just three minutes later, Zub scored with a point shot.
Tarasenko started the offensive festival after 4:28 of play, accepting the pass from Ridly Greig to beat Kuemper and give his team a 1-0 lead.
Norris scored his first of the season on the power play, midway through the period.
Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom played an 1100e regular season game in the NHL. Backstrom made his debut on October 5, 2007, against the Atlanta Thrashers.
The Swede scored his first goal in the league against these same Senators, in a 4-1 win.