WASHINGTON – Erik Cole and Andrew Ladd scored first-period goals, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat Washington 2-1 Friday night to retake first place in the Southeast Division from the Capitals.

Cam Ward made 33 saves for Carolina, which withstood 13 shots in the third period to snap a two-game skid.

Alexander Semin tallied for Washington, which had won eight of 11 to grab the top spot in the division but wasted an opportunity to expand its lead. Instead, the Capitals had a two-game winning streak halted and swapped placed with the Hurricanes in the conference standings.

Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the 11th time in 56 games this season. Ovechkin’s 46 goals leads the Capitals and his next will surpass his total from 2006-07.

Ovechkin’s best chance came late in the second period, when he was sprung on a power-play breakaway. But he was ridden to the ice by a trailing defenseman in front of the crease and crashed into Ward, who slid backward and knocked the net off its moorings before the puck could dribble across the goal line.

Despite a 34-23 overall edge in shots, the Capitals didn’t play like division leaders or playoff contenders. They had trouble generating scoring chances, committed turnovers that led to odd-man rushes and squandered seven power plays, including a two-man advantage lasting 1:10 in the second period.

Cole’s 12th goal, his first in nine games, gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead 3:56 into the game. He skated down the right wing, breezed by Washington’s Milan Jurcina, pulled Brent Johnson down and out and pushed the puck in with his right hand.

Carolina made use of its speed advantage at 14:47 when Ladd, skating down the left side on a 3-on-2 break, converted Sergei Samsonov’s right-wing rebound for his sixth goal of the year.

The Capitals pressured in the third period and Semin’s strong individual effort ruined Ward’s shutout bid with 10:16 left in the game.

Semin circled the zone from behind the net, picked up his own rebound from a blocked shot in the right circle and swatted in a backhander at the right post.

Notes: The Capitals had not been in first place in the Southeast Division this late in a season since March 13, 2003. … Washington D John Erskine left with an undisclosed injury after two early shifts. … Carolina is 1-1 on a five-game road trip.

AP-ES-02-08-08 2143EST