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NHL roundup: Blue Jackets cool off Capitals

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo defends against Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) as Blue Jackets center Alexandre Texier helps out. (Nick Wass / AP)
Associated Press

Fresh off sweeping a four-game road trip, the NHL-leading Washington Capitals fell flat in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night in Washington that snapped their winning streak at six.

Washington hadn’t lost in regulation since Nov. 20. The Capitals had their seven-game point streak end two days before facing the Boston Bruins in a showdown of the league’s top two teams.

Goaltender Braden Holtby made 19 first-period saves but allowed four goals on 37 shots. Alex Ovechkin scored his 21st of the season early in the third period, and Tom Wilson added a 6-on-5 goal in the waning minutes.

Cam Atkinson scored twice, including an empty-netter, and looks to be heating up after a rough first quarter of the season. Atkinson has three goals in three games after just four in his first 27.

Islanders 5, Lightning 1: In Tampa, Florida, Semyon Varlamov stopped 31 shots, Brock Nelson scored twice in the third period, and New York beat Tampa Bay.

Ross Johnston, Josh Bailey and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who are 18-0-1 when scoring three or more goals.

Tampa Bay got a goal from Steven Stamkos. Curtis McElhinney stopped 19 shots.

Varlamlov made an in-close rebound save on Stamkos and a diving glove grab on Pat Maroon early in the third.

In addition to Nelson’s goals at 7:31 and 14:41, Lee added a power-play goal with 3:55 remaining.

Senators 5, Bruins 2: In Ottawa, Ontario, Anthony Duclair had two goals and an assist and Ottawa beat Boston.

It was the Senators’ (13-17-1) first win over the Bruins (20-5-6) since April 6, 2017.

Chris Tierney, Artem Anisimov and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored for the Senators, who were playing their first home game following a five-game trip (1-4-0).

Anders Nilsson made 38 saves.

Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Bruins, who were playing the first of four road games. Tuukka Rask made 23 saves in his first loss in regulation since Nov. 8.

Flames 5, Avalanche 4 (OT): In Denver, Sean Monahan scored 2:09 into overtime to lift Calgary over Colorado.

Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, Derek Ryan also scored and David Rittich made 28 saves for Calgary, which has won five in a row under interim coach Geoff Ward and finally broke through against Colorado this season.

Andrew Mangiapane and Michael Frolik scored 1:27 apart to start the third period for Calgary.