Alex Ovechkin was back on the ice -- and he put the puck in the net, too. Guys such as Jason Chimera, Mathieu Perreault and Joel Ward contributed goals. Goalie Michal Neuvirth allowed only one. And lo and behold, the Washington Capitals actually managed to avoid falling behind early. Yes, the Capitals were at home, where they are a vastly different team. And yes, they were facing the lowly Montreal Canadiens. Still, what mattered most was that Washington began what could be a pivotal few days for the future of the franchise by beating Montreal 4-1 Friday night to snap a three-game losing streak.