Edmonton Oilers' goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (R) makes the winning save against Phoenix Coyotes' David Rundblad in Edmonton Saturday. — Reuters NEW YORK — The Montreal Canadiens have claimed their second victory of the week against the New York Rangers, prevailing 3-0 Saturday to reclaim sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Alex Galchenyuk, Erik Cole and Lars Eller each scored a goal and added an assist while Carey Price made 17 saves for his second shutout of the season. All three goals came in the second period. Cole was first to get on the score sheet with a clever wrist flick early in the period before Galchenyuk doubled the advantage with a slick move near the net. Eller closed the scoring with a powerplay slapshot with less than 30 seconds remaining in the period. The loss was not the only concern for the Rangers who lost key defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi to injury. The Canadiens improved to 12-4-2 with the win to be two points clear of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa and the New Jersey Devils in the East. The Rangers dropped to 8-7-2 and are struggling in the Atlantic Division. Capitals 5, Devils 1: After notching his first hat trick in more than two years, Alex Ovechkin wanted to credit Washington Capitals coach and former Red Wing Adam Oates. “He's that kind of person who gives me belief all the time,” Ovechkin said. When Ovechkin texted Oates recently, lamenting that it seemed as though the puck simply did not want to go in the net, the first-time NHL head coach replied: “It's going to come.” It did Saturday. Ovechkin scored three goals for the first time since Jan. 22, 2011, leading the last-place Capitals to a 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Philadelphia 5, Winnipeg 3: Wayne Simmonds scored the go-ahead goal halfway through the third for the host Flyers, who got two goals from Brayden Schenn. Flames 3, Wild 1: Matt Stajan scored twice, including the go-ahead goal in the Calgary Flames' victory over the Minnesota Wild. Edmonton 3, Phoenix 2 (SO): The host Oilers got shoot-out goals from Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle. Eberle also scored earlier. Los Angeles 4, Colorado 1: Anze Kopitar, Trevor Lewis, Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter scored for the host Kings. NY Islanders 4, Buffalo 0: Evgeni Nabokov stopped 35 shots by the Sabres, who were booed off the ice for a second straight home game. Nabokov got his first shutout of the season and 53rd of his NHL career. Tampa Bay 5, Carolina 2: The visiting Lightning scored four goals in the third period and snapped a first-place tie with the Hurricanes atop the Southeast Division. Elsewhere it was: Ottawa 3, Toronto 2; Dallas 3, San Jose 1; St. Louis 2, Columbus 1; Detroit 4, Nashville 0. — Agencies
