NHL ROUNDUP \ Friday’s other games

November 15, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Capitals 3, Devils 1

WASHINGTON — Brooks Laich and Tomas Fleischmann each scored to lead the Washington Capitals past the New Jersey Devils. Alex Ovechkin added an empty-net goal in the final minute for the Capitals, his fifth of the season. Washington’s Alexander Semin — the NHL scoring leader entering the game with 27 points — left the game late in the second period with an undisclosed injury. The team said his status is day-to-day. The Devils (7-7-2) have lost four in a row. The Capitals (10-4-2), on the other hand, reached 10 wins faster than any previous team since the 1991-92 team started 10-3-0. Jose Theodore’s only blemish was a late breakaway goal against his 32 saves. Laich scored the Capitals’ first goal, deflecting a shot by Ovechkin. On a power play midway through the first period, Ovechkin took a pass from Mike Green by the blue line, skated to his left and fired from near the top of the left circle. Ovechkin was initially given credit for the goal, but it was Laich who ended up with his fourth goal of the season. The Capitals got some breathing room with another score late in the second period.

Red Wings 3, Panthers 2

SUNRISE, Fla. — Johan Franzen scored on the power play early in the third period to lift the Detroit Red Wings to victory over the Florida Panthers. Marian Hossa had the first two goals for the Red Wings, who improved their NHL-best road record to 8-1-1. Niklas Kronwall had two assists. Franzen’s game-winner came at 4:40 when he tipped Kronwall’s slap shot from the point while standing in front of the net. Richard Zednik and Stephen Weiss scored for Florida, which had won two straight.

Thrashers 3, Hurricanes 2

ATLANTA — Slava Kozlov scored his ninth goal of the season and Atlanta tied a team record with its fifth consecutive win, beating the Carolina Hurricanes. Marty Reasoner had his third goal in two games against the Hurricanes and the Thrashers improved to 7-7-2 after a dismal start that included six losses in a row just before the winning streak. Johan Hedberg made 27 saves for Atlanta after stopping 35 shots in a 5-2 victory at Carolina on Sunday and Eric Perrin scored his first goal of the season for the Thrashers. Tuomo Ruutu and Rod Brind’Amour had power-play goals for the Hurricanes (8-7-2), with Brind’Amour’s sixth coming with 5:59 remaining. Carolina has lost three straight.

Associated Press