Ovechkin's 60th powers Capitals

Alex Ovechkin is scoring goals and having fun. With a playoff spot on the line, he gave the Washington Capitals exactly what they needed.

Ovechkin became the NHL's first 60-goal scorer in 12 years by getting two Friday night in the Capitals' comeback 5-3 victory over the host Atlanta Thrashers.

Ovechkin beat goalie Kari Lehtonen in the first period and then brought the Capitals within 3-2 at 11:30 of the third period with his 60th.

"It's always fun to score goals, especially when it's an important game," said the 22-year-old star in his third NHL season.

No one in the NHL had hit the 60-goal mark since the 1995-96 season when Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both did it. Ovechkin's previous best was 52 goals, accomplished in his rookie season of 2005-06.

Asked how many more he's capable of scoring, the youngster from Moscow shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't think about it. I just do my job," he said. "I don't think about personal goals. It's just the team. We have to take every point we can get."

Islanders 3, Devils 1: Kyle Okposo snapped a tie with 2:35 remaining by scoring his first NHL goal as visiting New York ended a six-game losing streak with a victory over New Jersey.

The loss dropped the Devils into a tie with Pittsburgh atop the Atlantic Division.

Maple Leafs 4, Sabres 1: Vesa Toskala stopped 35 shots and helped keep Toronto's threadbare playoff hopes alive with a 4-1 win over host Buffalo.

The Leafs moved within 5 points of Boston for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff berth.

Wild 2, Canucks 1: Branko Radivojevic scored 1:33 into the third period and Niklas Backstrom made 30 saves to lead visiting Minnesota to victory over Vancouver.

Minnesota, which has points in seven straight (3-0-4), moved 3 points ahead of the Canucks and Calgary, and 5 up on Colorado in the tight Northwest Division.

Flyers 4, Rangers 3: Mike Richards and Jeff Carter both scored in the shootout and Richards had a goal in regulation to lead host Philadelphia past New York.

Philadelphia jumped over Boston into seventh place in the Eastern Conference with seven games left. The Rangers are sixth in the East, but closed within 3 points of New Jersey and Pittsburgh -- the co-leaders in the Atlantic Division.