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Bradley's late goal helps Capitals top Lightning

Dec 27, 2007 - 4:28 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- With the interim tag removed from their coach, the Washington Capitals got back into the win column on Wednesday.

Matt Bradley's second goal of the season with just under three minutes remaining in the contest proved to be the game-winner as Washington defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, at the Verizon Center.

Rookie Dave Steckel had a goal and two assists for his first career multi-point game and Brian Pothier also scored for the Capitals, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

"I thought we deserved the win," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We didn't score the first goal, but we kept on coming and kept on coming and we were rewarded with the win."

Tied at 2-2 late in the third period, Steckel wristed in a shot from the high slot that went off the blocker of rookie goaltender Karri Ramo. The puck bounced up in the air and behind the netminder where Bradley - who had not scored since October 29 - knocked the puck home just before the net was dislodged with just 2:53 left to play.

"I just reached over for it," Bradley said. "(Martin) St. Louis and I were both going for it. I was lucky enough that the puck hit my stick instead of his."

After a delay of several minutes while the tape was being reviewed, Bradley waited.

"I knew it wasn't a high stick or a kick," Bradley said. "It was just a matter of whether the net was off, I guess. I was pretty confident."

The Capitals improved to 8-5-3 under coach Boudreau, who took over for Glen Hanlon after a 6-14-1 start on November 22. Before the game, the Capitals announced that Boudreau would no longer be the interim coach.

The day after he was named interim coach, the Capitals beat Philadelphia, and the win on Wednesday was just as big.

"It's a great reward for me," Boudreau said. "I wonder what other 'title' we can have because every time it seems to work for a win."

Vincent Lecavalier scored a pair of goals for the Lightning, who are a league-worst 3-13-1 on the road this season.

Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella was extremely annoyed with his team after the game.

"It's not just an offensive drought, it's everything about our hockey club," Tortorella said. "I hope they're frustrated. I'm not so sure they are. I don't know what to tell you.

"There's a lot of things we need to get better at. We're a (terrible) hockey team right now."

Tampa Bay got on the board at the 5:43 mark of the first when Lecavalier scored on his own rebound after goaltender Olaf Kolzig stopped his initial shot from the right faceoff circle.

After Steckel tied the score late in the first, Lecavalier regained the lead for the Lightning midway through the second period.

The Tampa Bay center received a pass from Vaclav Prospal, skated through the zone and wristed a shot past Kolzig and just inside the left post for his 25th goal of the season. The tally was also Lecavalier's 24th in 49 career games against the Capitals and extended his league-leading point total to 55.

"It's part of the game when you lose a few," Lecavalier said. "But, we have to get a win. We've got to make sure that we play desperate throughout the whole game."

Pothier's slap shot from the left point tied the game at 2-2 with 2:18 left in the second period. It was the fourth goal of the season for the defenseman, who has two of his tallies against Tampa Bay.

Ramo, who was making his third career start and first on the road, stopped 29 shots for the Lightning, who have lost five of six overall.

Kolzig finished with 18 saves for Washington.