Capitals 3, Avalanche 2: Captain Alex Ovechkin scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:56 left in the third period as visiting Washington ended a string of four straight losses to Colorado.

Nicklas Backstrom matched Ovechkin with a goal and an assist and Jason Chimera also tallied as the Capitals won their second in a row. Braden Holtby made 27 saves to improve to 4-1-0 in his last five starts.

Daniel Briere and defenseman Tyson Barrie scored for the Avalanche, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. Reto Berra, starting in place of an injured Semyon Varlamov, turned aside 20 shots.

Ovechkin set up the opening goal 64 seconds into the second period, sending a crossing pass from the left boards to Backstrom, who easily beat Berra glove side. Briere tied it 1:49 later, burying a fat rebound in front.

Chimera's wrist shot from just inside the left circle put Washington ahead at 12:10 of the second, but defenseman Brooks Orpik found a cutting Barrie for the equalizer at 6:44 of the third. Ovechkin ended it on a 4-on-4, muscling past blue-liner Jan Hejda and sending a backhander off the back boards before collecting the rebound and tucking it behind Berra.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Avalanche F Alex Tanguay exited with an injury to his right jaw after he was hit by a slap shot from Ovechkin. Tanguay reportedly was taken to the hospital via ambulance. ... Chimera ended a 13-game goal-scoring drought. ... Peter Forsberg, a 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, was at the game and received a huge ovation.