UNDATED (AP) — Alex Ovechkin continues to climb up the NHL career scoring lists.
Ovechkin moved up to sixth on the all-time goals list while helping the Capitals beat the Islanders, 3-1. He climbed ahead of Phil Esposito with his 718th goal, a power-play tally that gave the Caps a 2-0 lead in the second period.
Ovechkin also set up TJ Oshie’s goal, and Nicklas Backstrom scored as Washington won its sixth in a row.
Oliver Wahlstrom netted a power-play goal for the Isles, who had won nine in a row and collected points in 12 straight games.
The outcome leaves the Caps and Isles tied atop the East Division, with Washington owning a game in hand.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Dan Vladar was a winner in his first NHL start as he made 34 saves in the Bruins’ 2-1 victory at Pittsburgh. The Bruins needed Trent Frederic’s goal 7:07 into the third period to win for just the second time in six games. Vladar blanked the Pens after Brandon Tanev beat him late in the first period. The Penguins ended a six-game winning streak and stayed five points off the East Division lead, with Boston another three points back.
— Brayden Point had a goal and an assist, then added the deciding shootout score as the Lightning knocked off the Stars, 4-3. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 24 saves in winning his ninth straight game. Mathieu Joseph and Steven Stamkos also scored in regulation for Tampa Bay, which vaulted from third place to first in the Central Division. Vasilevskiy finally allowed a goal after shutting out the Stars in his three previous outings against them.
— Adam Erne scored twice and Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves as the Red Wings earned a 4-2 victory and snapped the Hurricanes’ eight-game winning streak. Robby Fabbri broke a tie midway through the second period, sending rebuilding Detroit to just its ninth win in 30 games. The Hurricanes entered the game only one point shy of the NHL leaders.
— Kaapo Kahkonen made 31 saves in his second shutout of the season as the Minnesota Wild topped the Arizona Coyotes 3-0. Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello and Jared Spurgeon scored for the Wild. Kahkonen won his ninth straight start during a standout rookie season. Minnesota swept three consecutive home games against Arizona and extended its home winning streak to eight, the longest in the NHL this year.
— Nathan MacKinnon and Samuel Girard scored 2:23 apart early in the third period while the Avalanche rallied for six unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 8-4. Nazem Kadri had two goals and two assists for Colorado. Philipp Grubauer stopped 15 shots after replacing Hunter Miska, who allowed four goals on seven shots.
— Miles Wood’s third-period power-play goal helped propel the Devils to a 3-2 win against the visiting Sabres. Yegor Sharangovich and Sami Vatanen also scored as the Devils ended an eleven-game home losing streak. Tobias Rieder and Jeff Skinner scored, but the Sabres extended a losing streak of their own to 12 games.
