NHL

Ovechkin broke a scoreless tie with 10:14 to play in the third period and was also the only Capitals player to score in the shootout. Ovechkin is now 23-20-43 in 51 games this season.

Vokoun has grabbed a hold of the starting job in Washington after struggling through most of the first half of the 2011-12 season. For the first time since the days of Olaf Kolzig, Washington now boasts an established true number-one goalie. With the shootout loss tonight, Vokoun now has a 22-13-2 record on the season and pushes his save percentage back up towards his career norms. Since the lockout, Vokoun has recorded a save percentage of .919 or better in all six seasons playing for mostly mediocre Panthers clubs. He didn't often get the credit that he deserved, mostly because of where he played, but all that will change now in Washington. Vokoun should be a top fantasy option the rest of the way.

He has skated for a mere five minutes over the past 34 days and didn't offer a hopeful outlook on his status when he spoke to Sweden's Gefle Dagblad recently. "I don't know when I will be able to play again," Backstrom said, "but I hope I will be ready for the playoffs."

"It's always hard to do," coach Dale Hunter said, "But you put [Jay] Beagle in [for] more speed. Mike hasn't scored in a while, figured get him up top and watch the game." It has been 27 games since Knuble last found the back of the net and he has collected just three assists over that span. Beagle has been a healthy scratch for the past five contests.

He began the 2011-12 campaign with 11 goals and six assists in the first 26 games, but he cooled off considerably after that with three goals and three helpers in his next 26 contests.

He logged just 9:28 of ice time, while playing on the fourth line with Keith Aucoin and Mike Knuble, in the contest. "I felt good all things considered, I felt pretty good. In a limited role you control what you can," said Laich, who won seven of eight faceoffs and saw some penalty kill time. "Try to win your faceoffs, try to be solid defensively. When you get a chance with the puck, try to make a good play, your window of focus really shortens a little bit, but make the most of your opportunity."

Laich, who stayed off the ice Monday, was hurt in Sunday's matinee against the visiting Bruins after taking a rather innocent hit from Dennis Seidenberg during the middle period. Laich immediately left the game and did not return. His left knee was fitted for a brace.