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Johnson strong as Capitals top Devils

Sep 30, 2008 - 1:33 AM By Daren Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- A perfect, albeit uneventful, night by Brent Johnson kept the Washington Capitals perfect in the preseason.

Johnson stopped all 18 shots he faced, Michael Nylander set up a pair of second-period goals and the Capitals remained unbeaten in exhibition action with a 3-2 victory over the listless New Jersey Devils on Monday.

Making his second preseason appearance, Johnson made 13 saves in the first period, when he helped kill an early two-man advantage for New Jersey. He turned aside five shots in the second period before giving way to Jose Theodore, the Capitals' No. 1 netminder.

Nylander helped break a scoreless deadlock with a power-play tally 3:09 into the second period. After working a give-and-go with Nicklas Backstrom, he backhanded a pass through the low slot to defenseman Mike Green, who swept the puck into a half-empty net.

The Capitals struck again just over four minutes later as Nylander found Boyd Gordon, who shifted to his backhand and beat goaltender Kevin Weekes for his second preseason goal. Nylander leads Washington, which improved to 4-0-0 this preseason, with six points in three games.

The Devils started the third period on the power play, but reigning Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin finished a 3-on-1 shorthanded break with his third goal in two exhibition contests.

New Jersey, which totaled one shot in the first 12 1/2 minutes of the second period, finally got on the board midway through the third, when Zach Parise whacked the puck past Theodore during a goalmouth scramble. Petr Vrana drew the Devils within one with 1:52 remaining, deflecting in defenseman Wade Brookbank's shot from the point.

Weekes, who was pulled for an extra attacker during a power play with over four minutes remaining, finished with 23 saves.

The Devils rested their top line of Patrik Elias, Brian Rolston and Brian Gionta along with regulars Bobby Holik, Dainius Zubrus and blue-liner Johnny Oduya.

Matt Bradley, Brooks Laich, Sergei Fedorov and defensemen Tom Poti and Milan Jurcina did not play for Washington.