Capitals Extend Winning Streak To Four Games

NHL

Calle Johansson, Stefan Ustorf and Peter Bondra scored third-period goals Monday as the Washington Capitals stretched their winning streak to four games with a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were without flu-ridden Mario Lemieux.

Down 2-1 at Landover, Md., the Capitals came back by outshooting Pittsburgh 12-1 in the opening 7 minutes of the final period. Johansson tied it with 19:29 left and Ustorf gave Washington its first lead with 13:48 remaining.

Bondra scored into the empty net with 28 seconds to go.

The Capitals won their sixth straight home game despite going without a power-play opportunity until the final 2 minutes. The home streak is three short of the team record set in 1989.

Jaromir Jagr tied Lemieux for the NHL lead with his 34th goal and Tom Barrasso stopped 33 shots for the Penguins, who had won three straight and 12 of 16.

Pittsburgh is 23-7-2 with Lemieux in the lineup this season and 1-3-1 without him.

Washington 4, Pittsburgh 2

Pittsburgh 1 1 0 - 2

Washington 1 0 3 - 4

First period-1, Pittsburgh, Jagr 34 (Zubov), 4:35. 2, Washington, Konowalchuk 13 (Ustorf, Johansson), 12:59.

Second period-3, Pittsburgh, Sandstrom 26 (Zubov, Francis), 10:50 (pp).

Third period-4, Washington, Johansson 2 (Konowalchuk, Hunter), :31. 5, Washington, Ustorf 5 (Johnson, Gonchar), 6:12. 6, Washington, Bondra 21 (Miller, Tinordi), 19:32 (en).

Shots on goal-Pittsburgh 8-9-8-25. Washington 12-8-17-37.Powerplay opp.-Pittsburgh 1 of 5; Washington 0 of 1. Goalies-Pittsburgh, Barrasso 13-3-2 (36 shots-33 saves). Washington, Carey 17-10-3 (25-23).A-18,130 (18,130).

Maple Leafs 1, Stars 0

Dallas

Felix Potvin stopped 33 shots for his first shutout of the season and penalty-killer Mats Sundin scored the game’s only goal as Toronto defeated struggling Dallas.

Potvin survived a 19-shot first period that included five Dallas power plays and went on to register his sixth career shutout, improving to 9-4-3 against the Stars.

Dallas is winless in its last 12 games with just one tie over that stretch and is coming off a 2-10-2 December, the worst month since the franchise moved to Texas.

The punchless Stars, without a victory (0-10-2) against Central Division competition, had plenty of chances against Potvin but have scored two or fewer goals in eight of their last 13 games.

Toronto 0 1 0 - 1

Dallas 0 0 0 - 0

First period-None.

Second period-1, Toronto, Sundin 15 (Gill), 2:53 (sh).

Third period-None.

Shots on goal-Toronto 13-9-7-29. Dallas 19-10-4-33.Power-play opp.-Toronto 0 of 6; Dallas 0 of 6.Goalies-Toronto, Potvin 17-9-5 (33 shots-33 saves). Dallas, Moog 5-9-3 (29-28).A-14,477 (16,924).

Richter to have MRI

New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter, who had to leave Saturday’s game after suffering a groin injury, will undergo an MRI today.

Richter, the NHL’s winningest goalie, was injured with 1:15 left in an 8-3 victory at Edmonton and returned to New York, missing Sunday night’s loss at Calgary.