By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Michael Komisarek got his first career goal as the Montreal Canadiens scored three times in just over 2 minutes in the second period to snap a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Monday night.

Montreal remained one point ahead of Atlanta, which beat Buffalo, for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Komisarek, playing in his 123rd NHL game, had just one assist in 55 games this season. He scored 5:47 into the first period, and also added an assist on Montreal’s third goal.

The score was tied at 1 when the Canadiens got three goals in a stretch of 2:06 in the second period.

Michael Ryder scored the go-ahead goal on a rebound of Chris Higgins’ shot at 7:28, and Alexander Perezhogin made it 3-1 at 9:08.

Thrashers 5, Sabres 0

ATLANTA – Kari Lehtonen stopped 20 shots for his second shutout of the season and the Atlanta Thrashers stayed close in the playoff race with a 5-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

The Thrashers remain one point behind eighth-place Montreal, which defeated Washington Monday night, in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Mighty Ducks 2, Stars 1

DALLAS – Samuel Pahlsson scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:15 remaining and Anaheim ended Dallas’ eight-game home winning steak.

With the score tied 1-1, Dallas defenseman Janne Niinimaa turned the puck over to Pahlsson deep in the Dallas zone and Pahlsson got his sixth goal of the season past goalie Marty Turco from the left circle.

Predators 4, Blues 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Scott Nichol scored twice to lead the Nashville Predators to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

Paul Kariya and Kimmo Timonen each added power-play goals as Nashville completed a perfect four-game homestand.

Panthers 6, Lightning 5

SUNRISE, Fla. – Olli Jokinen scored on a breakaway with 1:44 left in overtime, lifting the Florida Panthers to a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers overcame the Lightning’s big third-period rally and won for the sixth time in seven games.

Tampa Bay trailed 5-1 after two periods before scoring four times – two by Martin St. Louis scored twice and one each by Ryan Craig and Brad Richards – to force overtime.

Jozef Stumpel had two goals, and Ric Jackman, Steve Montador and Juraj Kolnik also scored for Florida, which has won four of five meetings this season with division rival Tampa Bay. Roberto Luongo had 29 saves for the Panthers.

John Grahame stopped 20 off 25 shots for the Lightning before being replaced by Gerald Coleman.

at the start of the third period.