Eric Bolte — Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/79f8e12e-1f16-4ce8-a887-c8de36b3a093.jpeg] Eric Bolte — Imagn Images Back-to-backs haven't been kind to the Washington Capitals so far this season, but after busting out and finding that offensive spark just 24 hours prior, the Capitals came to Montreal looking for a different result. It took Alex Ovechkin, some work and unlikely heroes, but they got it. Alex Ovechkin had a hat trick, Ethen Frank also had a four-point night and more stepped up en route to a 8-4 win for the Capitals over the Canadiens. Here are the takeaways: OVECHKIN STAYS HOT FOR HAT TRICK, MORE HISTORY AS POWER PLAY CONNECTS It's as if Alex Ovechkin hasn't missed a beat. Ovechkin is back to his classic scoring ways, and sniped home his first power-play goal of the season from the point off the face-off to open the scoring for D.C. It marked his fourth straight game with a goal, and he's now scored in five of his last six overall. The 40-year-old later set up Frank for another power-play goal and helping the Capitals, whose power play ranked 30th going into Thursday's contest, spark the man advantage. While the power play caught fire, the penalty kill remains a work in progress, as Brendan Gallagher got on the board with a PPG late in the first. It marked the fifth straight game that Washington has surrendered a power-play goal, and the PK still has a lot of work to do to find its footing. Ovechkin wasn’t done there, scoring another goal late in the third and adding an empty netter for the hat trick. He tied Brett Hull for the fourth-most hat tricks in NHL history and passed Joe Sakic for the 10th-most points of all time. ETHEN FRANK TAKES CHARGE TO HELP POWER CAPITALS OFFENSE; SECONDARY SCORING PICKS UP The Capitals finally busted out and hit their scoring stride on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers, and 24 hours later, wanted to keep it going in Montreal. This time, it was Ethen Frank who helped lead the charge and provide some much-needed secondary scoring. Minutes after scoring off a nice feed to the slot from Alex Ovechkin, Frank streaked into the offensive zone and picked up a lob pass from Aliaksei Protas before firing a quick shot past Sam Montembeault, ending the Canadiens netminder's night. It marked Frank's first career multi-goal game, and set the tone as Washington started turning it up offensively in the second. After Montreal pulled to 3-2, the Capitals got another goal from Jakob Chychrun, who extended his point streak to a career-best six games. Though the Habs responded again shortly after, Frank got right back to work and set up Sonny Milano for his second of the season. Milano later struck again to make it an 8-spot, and Frank finished the night with four points. Hendrix Lapierre also chipped in an assist, and the Capitals got some much-needed secondary scoring from the bottom-6 en route to the victory. CONSISTENCY REMAINS KEY Now, the big challenge for the Capitals is playing consistent hockey through 60 minutes. It was a rough start, as the Capitals couldn't get much going after Ovechkin's game-opening goal. Things picked up in the second, but Washington found itself going back and forth with Montreal, similar to how things were against the Oilers a night before. Going forward, getting two points will depend on D.C. playing reliable, dependable hockey for 60 straight minutes.
