WASHINGTON — Logan Couture set an NHL record and passed Alex Ovechkin on the same night.
The San Jose Sharks center became the first rookie to get seven game-winning goals on the road in a season when he broke a scoreless tie with 8:05 to play Tuesday night in a 2-0 victory over the Washington Capitals.
For the second game in a row, the Sharks won 2-0. For the second game in a row, Couture scored the first goal. He got the opener in the win at Boston on Saturday after missing the previous two games with the flu.
“Geez, it’s getting to the point where you don’t want to call him a rookie any more,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said, “because he plays big minutes, he’s scoring huge goals. For a guy that just came off the flu, he was very effective.”
Antti Niemi had 25 saves to post back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career, and Dan Boyle added a late goal as the Sharks won their fourth straight and extended their points streak to nine games.
The goal was Couture’s 24th — most among NHL rookies — and his eighth game-winner overall. On the way to the arena, San Jose public-relations official Tom Holy informed Couture that the rookie was tied with Capitals two-time MVP Ovechkin for the league lead with seven.
“He said, ‘You’re tied with him, you’ve got to beat him in Washington.’ Give some credit to him for letting me know,” Couture said. “Now I’m leading.”
The goal came when Ben Eager led Couture just enough to take the pass in open ice at the left circle and put the shot through the legs of goaltender Michal Neuvirth. Boyle doubled the lead from the right circle with 5:53 to go.
