Senators look for Capital gains

The Ottawa Senators will try and make it three in a row when they host the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Place Thursday night.

• RELATED: Game Day: Washington at Ottawa

Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley each scored their 35th goals of the season on Wednesday. (CP Photo)

Ottawa will return home after a road game in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, where they opened up a four-goal lead heading in the third before holding on for a 4-3 win.

Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Brian Pothier each had one goal and one assist for the Senators (38-14-5).

Peter Schaefer opened the scoring in support of rookie Ray Emery, who stopped 27 shots.

Both Alfredsson and Heatley scored their 35th goals of the season, tied for sixth best in the league.

Alfredsson had to catch up with the team already in Pittsburgh, as he was fresh off Sweden's gold medal Olympic victory celebrations in Stockholm.

"I'm tired, but I told myself not to think about it ... think about it and you get even more tired," Alfredsson told the Ottawa Sun. "I felt not bad, obviously not super, but I was pumped getting back, and I wanted us to get off to a good start, especially against a team we should beat. It was a good win for us.

The Capitals earned a 5-3 road win over Toronto on Tuesday. Matt Pettinger had two goals, with Bryan Willsie, Alexander Ovechkin and Ben Clymer also scoring.

Brent Johnson made 26 saves for Washington (20-32-5).

Ovechkin now has 37 goals, tied for second in the NHL.

Washington scored two power-play goals and a shorthanded marker, good news for a team that ranks in the bottom five in the league in both specialty team categories.

In recent weeks, the Capitals signed starting goaltender Olaf Kolzig, right wing Chris Clark and defencemen Jamie Heward and Bryan Muir to contract extensions.

Brendan Witt and Jeff Friesen, meanwhile, are two veterans who could be moved before the Mar. 9 trading deadline.

Ottawa won the only meeting between the clubs 3-1 on Jan. 4.

The Senators will begin a five-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (CBC, 7 p.m. ET).