Caps win, now just two behind Canes

TAMPA, Fla. -- Tomas Fleischmann scored with 2:33 left in overtime to lift the Washington Capitals past the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Thursday night.

Lightning goalie Karri Ramo dived for a loose puck near the net, but couldn't control it. Brooks Laich passed it to Fleischmann in the right circle for the winner.

Laich, Matt Bradley and Alexander Semin also scored for the Capitals, who remained two points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Washington trails Southeast Division-leading Carolina, which has one game in hand, by two points.

Capitals center Alexander Ovechkin, who has a league-leading 61 goals and 107 points, didn't get a point. He had several scoring chances in the first, including a shot from the slot that went just wide of the net midway through the period

Jeff Halpern, Alexandre Picard and Michel Ouellet had the Tampa Bay goals.

Tampa Bay went up 3-2 when Ouellet scored 6:51 into the third period. Washington drew even at 3 when Sergei Fedorov won a faceoff, setting up Semin's goal from the top of the right circle with 4:48 remaining.

Laich put the Capitals ahead 1-0 with a short-handed goal late in the first period. Halpern tied it on a power play 42 seconds later.

Bradley gave Washington a 2-1 lead from the left circle early in the second session. Matt Cooke nearly made it a two-goal game, but his shot hit the post.

Picard then pulled the Lightning even again at 2.