Rangers 3, Capitals 1: Carl Hagelin and J.T. Miller each scored in the first period as visiting New York moved into first place in the Presidents' Trophy race.

Martin St. Louis also tallied for the Rangers, who improved to 12-1-2 in their last 15 contests and leapfrogged the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division while pulling even in points with Montreal (91) atop the conference with a game in hand. Rookie Kevin Hayes notched two assists and Cam Talbot turned aside 28 shots, highlighted by brilliant glove save to deny Nicklas Backstrom on the right doorstep early in the second period.

Captain Alex Ovechkin scored his league-leading 45th goal and sixth in four games for Washington, which remained four points behind third-place Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan. Braden Holtby turned aside 28 shots to fall to 2-5-1 in his career versus New York.

The Capitals' attempt to clear the puck took a wonky bounce off a stanchion, allowing Hayes to set up Miller from deep in the left circle to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 3:26 remaining in the first period. New York failed to extend the advantage despite enjoying a 12-4 edge in shots in the second, but Chris Kreider set up St. Louis on a rush to provide insurance with 2:27 remaining in the third.

Hayes' wrist shot from left circle was denied by Holtby, but Hagelin got just enough of his stick on the rebound to send it into the gaping net to open the scoring 8:20 into the first period. Ovechkin answered 3:23 later as his blast from above the left circle deflected off the stick of New York's Jesper Fast and fluttered home for his league-leading 21st power-play goal.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ovechkin reached the 45-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career. ... New York RW Mats Zuccarello played in his 208th career game, breaking a tie with Espen Knutsen for the most by a Norwegian-born player in NHL history. ... Washington's Brooks Orpik (lower body) sat out for the first time all season while fellow D Mike Green (upper body) also missed the game. C Jay Beagle sustained an upper-body injury following a hit from New York D Dan Girardi and did not return.