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Caps use solid third period to top Devils

Nov 12, 2011 - 4:18 AM Newark, NJ (Sports Network) - Jason Chimera and Marcus Johansson both scored third-period goals to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the opener of a home-and-home set at Prudential Center.

Alex Ovechkin netted his seventh goal of the season for Washington, which snapped its two-game skid and New Jersey's three-game winning streak.

Tomas Vokoun made half of his 32 saves during the final 20 minutes for the Capitals, who had dropped four of their last six games since starting the season with seven consecutive victories.

Capitals forward Matt Hendricks praised his goaltender's effort.

"Tomas made some big saves for us all night when we needed them and definitely kept us in there," he said.

Martin Brodeur stopped 17 shots in defeat.

Washington pulled even late in the second period. Nicklas Backstrom won an offensive zone faceoff back to Dennis Wideman at the right point. Wideman fired a shot that didn't reach Brodeur and Ovechkin buried the puck from the side of the net with 2:27 remaining.

New Jersey was on the power play to begin the third period after Chimera was called for roughing. The Capitals killed off the penalty, but were down a man again when Devils forward David Clarkson drew a tripping infraction on Mike Knuble.

Chimera then found the scoresheet in a different category, beating a prone Brodeur for a short-handed tally at 2:27. Johansson lit the lamp with a backhander at 10:43.

"Getting scored on our own power play is something that we have to address because it's a big time momentum swing," Brodeur said.

The Devils grabbed a 1-0 lead at 13:06 of the first period. Rookie Adam Larsson, the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, netted his first career goal, firing a slap shot from the right circle that beat Vokoun on the far side.

Game Notes

Ovechkin has scored all his goals on the road this season...Washington defenseman Mike Green returned after missing the last six games with an injured right ankle. However, he left Friday's contest with a different ailment...New Jersey played its third straight game without forward Ilya Kovalchuk (lower-body injury)...Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau notched his 199th career NHL win...The Capitals were 0-for-4 on the power play. New Jersey's penalty-killing unit has yet to give up a goal on home ice this season (30-for-30)...These teams will meet again in the nation's capital on Saturday.