The Carolina Hurricanes recorded a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals to regain the lead of the Southeast Division.

Erik Cole and Andrew Ladd scored first-period goals to secure the win.

Carolina netminder Cam Ward made 33 saves, including eight in the first period and 13 in the second, as the Hurricanes won for the first time in three games.

Ward was on course for a shutout until Alexander Semin scored an unassisted goal for Washington 9:44 into the third period.

Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the league's leading scorer, was held without a point, and Cole said that was key to the outcome.

"He has scored 46 [this season] so if you can shut him down or contain him a little bit then you're going to be successful against these guys," Cole said.

Both Cole and Ward said Carolina's gameplan had centered on controlling Ovechkin.

"We went through a lot of video and too be quite honest with you, he was a lot of our focus," Ward said.

"We made it difficult for him. We took away his time and space. He had to earn every shot he got on net."

The Capitals had supplanted the Hurricanes as the division leader by winning eight of their 11 previous games but Carolina scored on two of their seven first-period shots to lift the visitors to top spot.

Cole connected on his 12th goal of the season 3:56 into the game and Ladd followed about nine minutes later.

Phil Kessel scored the only goal in the shootout and the Boston Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 after trailing by two goals in the second period.

Ryan Carter's first two NHL goals led the Anaheim Ducks to a third successive win, a 2-1 road victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Reuters