Alex Ovechkin became the NHL's first 60-goal scorer in 12 years by netting two Friday night in the Washington Capitals (web|news) ' comeback 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. Ovechkin beat goalie Kari Lehtonen in the first period and then brought the Capitals within 3-2 at 11:30 of the third period with his 60th. No one in the NHL had hit the mark since the 1995-96 season when Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both did it. Ovechkin's previous best was 52 goals, accomplished in his rookie season of 2005-06.

Nicklas Backstrom scored two goals 32 seconds apart in the closing minutes to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead. Backstrom pushed Washington in front with 3:28 remaining, and Boyd Gordon sealed the important victory with an empty-netter.

The Capitals, who are trying to get into a playoff position in the Eastern Conference, outshot the Thrashers 23-2 in the third period and 45-18 overall. Washington trails eighth-place Boston and the postseason cutoff by one point with six games remaining.

The Capitals won their fifth in six games, while the Thrashers lost their fifth in a row and 13th in 15.

Ovechkin's 60th goal also tied the Capitals' club mark set by Dennis Maruk in the 1981-82 season.

After Backstrom put the Capitals ahead, scoring from in-close, Lehtonen tossed his stick into the air in frustration.

The Thrashers carried a 3-1 lead into the third period on the strength of Jim Slater's first two-goal game in the NHL.

Washington, which had won four in a row before losing 5-0 to Chicago on Wednesday night, took a 1-0 lead when Ovechkin scored with 4:42 remaining in the first period.

The Thrashers scored all three goals in the second period.

Rookie defenseman Tobias Enstrom scored his fifth of the season during a power play to make it 1-1 at 4:11.

Slater gave Atlanta the lead with a short-handed goal at 7:57, taking a pass from Eric Perrin and skating in on a breakaway against Cristobal Huet.

The third-year center, who plays mainly on a checking line and serves as a penalty-killer, has 21 career goals in 209 NHL games. He scored his second of the game at 16:06, knocking a shot from the left side past Huet as he was falling down.

Notes:@ Ovechkin has 23 third-period goals, tops in the league. Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk, the only other 50-goal scorer in the NHL season, has 22. ... Enstrom leads rookie defenseman with 38 points (5 goals, 33 assists).

Written By TOM SALADINO

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