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Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals follows his shot on goal in the second period against the Vancouver Canucks at Verizon Center on December 11, 2016 in Washington, DC.Rob Carr/Getty Images

Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal in the first period and Braden Holtby made it stand up, stopping 20 shots to help the Washington Capitals beat the weary Vancouver Canucks 3-0 on Sunday night.Washington nursed a 1-0 lead until Ovechkin earned an assist on a goal by Justin Williams with just under 15 minutes left.

Tom Wilson scored into an empty net with 52 seconds remaining to seal the Capitals' fourth straight victory. Washington killed five Vancouver power plays to complete a two-game season sweep.

Holtby was rarely tested in his 25th career shutout, the second this season.

Ovechkin put Washington in front with his first goal in eight games, a wrist shot from the left circle at 13:46 of the opening period. He became the 18th player in NHL history with 200 career power-play goals.

It was Ovechkin's team-leading 13th goal of the season, the first since his hat trick the night before Thanksgiving.

Vancouver was playing its second game in less than 24 hours and fourth in six days. The Canucks hastily travelled up the East Coast after losing to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.

Jacob Markstrom started in goal for veteran Ryan Miller, who missed a second straight game with an undisclosed injury.

The 6-foot-6 Markstrom had 38 saves against Florida and followed it up with another solid performance, stopping 26 shots by Washington. But he received no help from an attack that has been blanked five times this season.

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