Ilya Kovalchuk has been traded to the New Jersey Devils.
The Atlanta Thrashers sent Kovalchuk and defenseman Anssi Salmela to the Devils on Thursday for right winger Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier and a 2010 first-round pick.
The teams also swapped second-round picks this year.
Capitals win 12th straight
Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and the rest of the NHL-leading Capitals pulled out a 6-5 back-and-forth win over the New York Rangers on Thursday.
Backstrom's third-period, power-play goal, his fifth point of the night, snapped a tie and put the Capitals ahead for good.
Atlantic Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| New Jersey | 55 | 35 | 18 | 2 | 72 | 146 | 125 |
| Pittsburgh | 57 | 35 | 21 | 1 | 71 | 180 | 161 |
| Philadelphia | 55 | 28 | 24 | 3 | 59 | 163 | 150 |
| N.Y. Rangers | 58 | 25 | 26 | 7 | 57 | 149 | 162 |
| N.Y. Islanders | 57 | 23 | 26 | 8 | 54 | 145 | 177 |
Northeast Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| Buffalo | 55 | 32 | 16 | 7 | 71 | 155 | 136 |
| Ottawa | 58 | 33 | 21 | 4 | 70 | 164 | 160 |
| Montreal | 58 | 27 | 25 | 6 | 60 | 149 | 156 |
| Boston | 55 | 23 | 22 | 10 | 56 | 133 | 143 |
| Toronto | 57 | 18 | 28 | 11 | 47 | 152 | 197 |
Southeast Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| Washington | 57 | 39 | 12 | 6 | 84 | 224 | 155 |
| Tampa Bay | 56 | 24 | 21 | 11 | 59 | 145 | 165 |
| Florida | 56 | 24 | 23 | 9 | 57 | 149 | 161 |
| Atlanta | 55 | 24 | 23 | 8 | 56 | 166 | 176 |
| Carolina | 56 | 19 | 30 | 7 | 45 | 148 | 184 |
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| Chicago | 56 | 37 | 15 | 4 | 78 | 182 | 132 |
| Nashville | 56 | 31 | 21 | 4 | 66 | 156 | 156 |
| Detroit | 57 | 27 | 20 | 10 | 64 | 147 | 152 |
| St. Louis | 57 | 25 | 23 | 9 | 59 | 148 | 159 |
| Columbus | 59 | 23 | 27 | 9 | 55 | 152 | 194 |
Northwest Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| Vancouver | 56 | 34 | 20 | 2 | 70 | 181 | 138 |
| Colorado | 56 | 31 | 19 | 6 | 68 | 164 | 149 |
| Calgary | 57 | 28 | 21 | 8 | 64 | 147 | 146 |
| Minnesota | 57 | 28 | 25 | 4 | 60 | 159 | 169 |
| Edmonton | 56 | 18 | 32 | 6 | 42 | 144 | 190 |
Pacific Division
| GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | |
| San Jose | 57 | 37 | 11 | 9 | 83 | 193 | 140 |
| Los Angeles | 57 | 35 | 19 | 3 | 73 | 174 | 156 |
| Phoenix | 57 | 34 | 18 | 5 | 73 | 155 | 145 |
| Anaheim | 58 | 27 | 24 | 7 | 61 | 162 | 179 |
| Dallas | 57 | 25 | 21 | 11 | 61 | 162 | 181 |
NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.
Thursday's Games
Montreal 3, Boston 2, SO
Washington 6, N.Y. Rangers 5
Columbus 2, Dallas 1
Tampa Bay 5, N.Y. Islanders 2
Ottawa 3, Vancouver 1
San Jose 4, St. Louis 2
Nashville 5, Colorado 3
Minnesota 4, Edmonton 2
Los Angeles 6, Anaheim 4
Today's games
Toronto at New Jersey, 5 p.m.
Atlanta at Washington, 5 p.m.
Carolina at Buffalo, 5:30 p.m.
Calgary at Florida, 5:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.
