WASHINGTON – Jay Beagle scored twice Friday night as the Washington Capitals won their eighth consecutive game, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 in a matchup of the NHL’s hottest teams.

Nicklas Backstrom, Brett Connolly, Tom Wilson and T.J. Oshie also scored for Washington, which snapped Chicago’s winning streak at four.

The Capitals have ended five opposing win streaks of three games or more already in 2017 while playing their best hockey of the season.

Washington reached 61 points, passing the Columbus Blue Jackets for the most in the league.

Braden Holtby stopped all 24 shots he faced and got the benefit of goaltender interference on Vinne Hinostroza’s would-be goal for his fifth shutout in the past 14 games. The Vezina Trophy winner is 9-2-2.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, RANGERS 2: Connor Brown and William Nylander scored in the first period, Frederik Andersen stopped 34 shots and Toronto won at New York.

James van Riemsdyk and Connor Carrick also scored to help the Maple Leafs win for the seventh time in nine games (7-1-1). Toronto moved four points behind Philadelphia for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Tyler Bozak and Mitch Marner had two assists each.

HURRICANES 5, SABRES 2: Jeff Skinner had two goals and an assist, Brock McGinn also scored twice and Carolina won at Raleigh, North Carolina.

Carolina swept its three-game series against Buffalo and won its third straight game overall. The Hurricanes are 14-4-1 at home, including 13-1-1 in the last 15 games in Raleigh.

ISLANDERS 4, PANTHERS 2: John Tavares scored three goals for his sixth career hat trick and New York won at Sunrise, Florida, to snap a three-game losing streak.

Nick Leddy had a goal and two assists, and Jason Chimera also scored for the Islanders. Thomas Greiss made 26 saves.

BLUE JACKETS 3, LIGHTNING 1: Joonas Korpisalo made 31 saves in his first game of the season, Nick Foligno had a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period and Columbus won at Tampa, Florida.

Columbus also got goals from Josh Anderson and Boone Jenner.

NOTES

LIGHTNING: Tampa Bay retired Martin St. Louis’ uniform No. 26 – the first player in franchise history to receive the honor.

SHARKS: Defenseman Dylan DeMelo is expected to miss eight weeks after breaking his right wrist.