Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 1: Joel Ward and captain Alex Ovechkin scored power-play goals and Braden Holtby made 37 saves as host Washington cruised to victory.

Brooks Laich and Troy Brouwer also tallied while Martin Erat notched three assists for the Capitals, who completed a 2-3-0 homestand.

Artem Anisimov scored and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 35 shots for Columbus, which has lost four consecutive contests.

Ward opened the scoring 1:58 into the second period with a shot from the right hash marks. Laich doubled the lead less than six minutes later, backhanding the rebound of Steve Oleksy's shot past Bobrovsky from the doorstep.

Brouwer converted his own rebound from alone in the low slot at 4:20 of the third and Ovechkin one-timed a pass from defenseman Mike Green past Bobrovsky from the left faceoff circle 2:14 later to make it 4-0. Anisimov spoiled Holtby's shutout bid with 4:55 remaining, beating the netminder from the slot.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ovechkin's goal was his seventh of the season, tying him with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, rookie Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau of San Jose and Alex Steen of St. Louis for the league lead. ... Erat went without a point over his first seven games of the season. ... The Blue Jackets have been held to one goal three times during their four-game slide.