ATLANTA (AP) – The Atlanta Thrashers should be glad they won’t have to face Alex Ovechkin in the playoffs – especially on home ice.

Ovechkin scored two second-period goals, giving him eight in four games in Atlanta this season, and the Washington Capitals beat the Thrashers 3-2 Wednesday night.

Washington’s Brent Johnson gave up a goal to Ilya Kovalchuk about one minute into the game, but allowed only one more, to Andy Sutton late in the game.

Overall, Johnson stopped 30 shots and survived an Atlanta power play for the final 1:30, including a two-man advantage for the final 44.6 seconds. Washington’s Brooks Laich drew a delay penalty at the 1:30 mark, and Milan Jurcina was penalized for slashing about 45 seconds later.

Atlanta pulled goalie Kari Lehtonen, but couldn’t score with the advantage.

Boyd Gordon also scored for the Capitals, who won their second straight game after six straight losses, but remain last in the Southeast Division.

The first-place Thrashers remain one point ahead of Tampa Bay in the Southeast. The teams play in Atlanta on Saturday.

The Thrashers clinched their first playoff berth Sunday night.

Ovechkin, the second-year star, posted his only hat trick of the season at Atlanta on Dec. 15. His two-goal game Wednesday night was his second of the season in Atlanta.

Overall, in eight games against the Thrashers Ovechkin had nine goals and five assists.

Gordon also scored in Washington’s three-goal second period, when the Capitals recovered from a sluggish opening 20 minutes.

The Capitals managed only three shots on goal while trailing 1-0 after the first period. Kovalchuk scored at the 1:06 mark.

Though the Thrashers had only one goal, they appeared to be in control, having outshot the Capitals 10-3.

Instead, the Capitals scored three goals in the final 10:08 of the second period, drawing boos from Atlanta fans.

Ovechkin’s first goal came on a power-play shot from the left circle at the 13:35 mark. With only 43 seconds left in the period, he scored again unassisted from the right circle past Lehtonen’s glove.

With Washington still leading 3-1, Atlanta had a goal disallowed with less than 8 minutes left when Eric Boulton was called for high-sticking.

Sutton scored a short-handed goal on a breakaway with 4:28 left.