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Washington thumps New Jersey

Dec 22, 2010 - 5:38 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Michal Neuvirth was strong with 35 saves and five different Washington players scored a goal, as the Capitals defeated the New Jersey Devils, 5-1, at Verizon Center.

Andrew Gordon and John Carlson both notched a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who are showing signs of life with two straight wins after an eight- game winless skid during which the club went 0-6-2. Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera and Mike Knuble also scored in the victory.

Patrik Elias scored the only goal for the struggling Devils, who have lost three straight and fell to 1-8-0 in December.

New Jersey goaltender Marty Brodeur allowed five goals on 28 shots.

"We seem to be making the same mistakes over and over again, and we are losing the same way," said Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner. "For whatever reason, things are not clicking -- we're looking for an easier way to win hockey games, and there is no such thing in this league."

The only goal of the opening period was scored by Gordon, whose one-timer redirection from the right post flew into the cage following a pass from the base of the left half-wall by Marcus Johansson at the 16:41 mark.

Elias' power-play tally, his seventh goal of the season, knotted the contest 4:56 into the middle stanza. Langenbrunner held control in the slot and, facing away from the net, slid a soft pass to the top of the right circle for Elias, whose one-timer lit the lamp.

From there, it was all Washington.

After Beagle gave the Caps a 2-1 lead at the midpoint of regulation, Washington moved ahead by two at the 12:39 mark of the second stanza. Chimera was sent in on a partial breakaway after a nice feed from Gordon and, with Devils blueliner Mark Fayne draped on his back, lifted a wrister over the shoulder of Brodeur for his fifth goal of 2010-11.

"It was one of those nights where it was nice to get some breathing room and not be forced to fight tooth-and-nail to the end," said Chimera.

With 3:29 to play before the second intermission, the Caps made it 4-1 on Carlson's one-timer. Alex Ovechkin attempted a slap shot from the right side of the slot, but the puck was tipped away by a defenseman before Carlson moved in and beat Brodeur with a blast from atop the near circle.

With nearly eight minutes to go in the third period, Knuble capped the scoring with a deflection goal -- Tom Poti's shot from the right side was redirected home by Knuble from the top of the crease.

Game Notes

Since a victory at Chicago on November 3, the Devils have dropped nine straight road games...It was Ovechkin's 27th assist of the season...The Capitals halted a five-game home winless skid...Washington improved to 5-2-1 against the Atlantic Division...New Jersey ended 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Caps went scoreless on their five chances with the extra skater.