Capitals Move Second In East After Shootout Win

Montreal center Tomas Plekanec gave his team a 3-2 advantage in his first game back after serving a two-game suspension.

The surging Washington Capitals outlasted the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday to continue their rise in the Eastern Conference.

Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom scored in the extra session and goalkeeper Jose Theodore denied both Canadiens' attempts to steer the Capitals to their third successive win and take sole possession of second place in the conference.

Washington (37-16-5) trail the Boston Bruins by nine points in the East.

Theodore finished with 30 saves to help keep things close for the Capitals, who needed a goal from Dave Steckel with 2:39 left to force the contest into overtime.

Montreal center Tomas Plekanec gave his team a 3-2 advantage in his first game back after serving a two-game suspension.

He took advantage of a power play at 8:57 in the third on an assist from defenseman Andrei Markov, who recorded three helpers on the night.

Canadiens wing Christopher Higgins led the scoring with a wrister 2:33 into the game. Alex Ovechkin answered with his NHL-leading 42nd goal of the night, while Backstrom put Washington up 2-1 13:42 into the first before Andrei Kostitsyn tied things up three minutes later.

Goaltender Carey Price tallied 32 saves for Montreal (30-21-7), who lost for the sixth time in the last seven contests.

STANDINGS after Wednesday's NHL games
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. New Jersey   37 18 3   179 145 77
 2. Philadelphia 30 16 9   179 161 69
 3. NY Rangers   31 22 6   147 163 68
 4. Pittsburgh   27 25 6   173 178 60
 5. NY Islanders 17 34 6   138 192 40
 NORTHEAST DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. Boston       40 10 8   197 131 88
 2. Montreal     30 21 7   175 176 67
 3. Buffalo      30 22 6   172 160 66
 4. Ottawa       22 25 9   139 158 53
 5. Toronto      21 26 10  172 210 52
 SOUTHEAST DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. Washington   37 16 5   195 166 79
 2. Florida      29 20 8   164 155 66
 3. Carolina     28 25 5   147 171 61
 4. Tampa Bay    19 27 11  145 181 49
 5. Atlanta      21 32 5   172 204 47
 WESTERN CONFERENCE
 CENTRAL DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. Detroit      38 12 8   221 170 84
 2. Chicago      32 15 8   186 140 72
 3. Columbus     29 23 6   159 161 64
 4. Nashville    27 28 3   140 166 57
 5. St. Louis    24 26 7   163 176 55
 NORTHWEST DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. Calgary      33 18 6   181 169 72
 2. Vancouver    28 21 8   173 166 64
 3. Edmonton     29 24 4   161 175 62
 4. Minnesota    28 24 3   142 129 59
 5. Colorado     27 30 1   159 180 55
 PACIFIC DIVISION

              W  L  OTL GF  GA  PTS
 1. San Jose     38 8  9   192 137 85
 2. Dallas       28 21 7   169 174 63
 3. Anaheim      28 26 5   166 170 61
 4. Los Angeles  25 22 9   150 160 59
 5. Phoenix      25 28 5   146 178 55

RESULTS from the NHL games on Wednesday
 (home team in CAPS)
 NY RANGERS  3 NY Islanders 1
 COLUMBUS    4 St. Louis    3
 WASHINGTON  4 Montreal     3 (SO)
 DETROIT     6 Nashville    2
 Los Angeles 4 ANAHEIM      3