Chat » final 18 seconds. Wilson Chandler led Denver with 23 points

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State John Kerry, the most powerful politician in the house, performed a ceremonial puck drop to send the Olympians on their way. Alex Ovechkin, the biggest hockey star in the arena, scored his league-leading 40th goal to give his team the lead in the third period. Set aside those two larger-than-life names for a moment, however, and look at the trio who occupy the score sheet for the crucial tying goal early in the third period of the Washington Capitals 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. Patrick Wey (second NHL game). Julien Brouillette (first NHL game). Tom Wilson (second NHL goal). "It was a simple play, but it was nice that we ended up scoring," Wey said. "And Im really excited." Simple but effective. Wey passed cross-ice to Brouillette, who then deliberately shot wide of the net to set up a carom off the boards that eventually made its way to Wilson. "The play Brou made, banking it off the boards like that, I thought that was a great play," Washington coach Adam Oates said. "And obviously it worked, the bounce was right. ... It gave us a lot of life." Wey and Brouillette had arrived in town the night before, having been recalled from Hershey of the AHL to serve as the third defensive pairing because the Capitals had run out of healthy bodies. "From what I expected," Oates said, "they were fantastic." The Wey-Brouillette-Wilson goal made the score 2-2, setting the stage for Ovechkin. The Russian forward lifted the puck over a pile of bodies in the crease with 12:14 remaining, following up after Nicklas Backstrom had taken two whacks at a rebound before sliding into goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. Troy Brouwer then added his second goal of the game in the closing minutes, and Braden Holtby made 34 saves for the Capitals, who are trying to generate at least a modicum of momentum headed into the Olympic break. Washington had dropped 10 of its previous 13, including a 1-0 shutout loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Bryan Little and Dustin Byfuglien scored, and Pavelec stopped 26 shots for the Jets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Winnipeg dominated play in the second period before allowing three goals in the third, dropping the team to 9-3 since coach Claude Noel was fired on Jan. 12 and replaced by Paul Maurice. "I think they just did a little bit to us what weve been doing to (other) teams," Maurice said. "They weathered that second-period storm." With the NHLs Olympic break beginning after Saturdays games, Kerry was on hand to recognize the four players from each team headed to Sochi. He then dropped the puck at centre ice between two U.S. Olympians, Winnipegs Blake Wheeler and Washingtons John Carlson. Kerry also met with Capitals coaches and players in the locker room before the game. "I had a good talk with him," Oates said. "But hes obviously a very busy man. He comes with his entourage; its pretty tough to have a chat." NOTES: Littles goal was actually put into the net by Washingtons Martin Erat, something the Czech forward has yet to do for his own team this season. Erat has 21 assists but no goals for the Capitals. ... Oates said Holtby was in goal because scheduled starter Michal Neuvirth wasnt feeling well. ... Brouillette and Wey were needed because D John Erskine (off-season knee surgery) was given a rest day and D Mike Green was still sidelined with a concussion. ... Carlson played in his 272nd consecutive game, breaking Calle Johanssons Capitals record for a defenceman. Cheap Minnesota Wild Jerseys . Rasmussen didnt have a decision during his four appearances in May, when he gave up two hits and no runs in two innings. Toronto used five relievers while pulling off the second-biggest comeback in franchise history on Friday night, rallying from an 8-0 deficit to a 14-9 win. Cheap Adidas Wild Jerseys . What they did need, the Devils got from Patrik Elias. Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars. http://www.cheapwildjerseys.com/ . The right-hander pitched into the seventh inning and boosted Cincinnatis struggling offence by hitting a double and scoring as the Reds ended a seven-game losing streak by beating the Atlanta Braves 1-0 Saturday night. Wholesale Wild Jerseys . -- Jake Paterson made 39 saves as the Saginaw Spirit halted the Guelph Storms seven-game win streak with a 6-3 victory on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Wild Jerseys . Although Spain could still advance out of the group stage, the game may have signalled the end of the run by a generation of Spanish stars whose quick passing, "tiki-taka" style delighted the world and helped them win the last three major tournaments.Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - James Harden scored a season-high 44 points on Thursday and posted his third career triple-double on Saturday. He continued the trend of MVP-like performances by dropping 41 points and 10 assists in the Houston Rockets 115-111 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. After erupting for 23 points in the first half, Harden was limited to 10 in nearly 21 second-half minutes. He also missed a free throw late in regulation that could have sealed the victory. But he scored eight straight Houston points during the extra session to help the Rockets win their third straight game. I couldnt throw a rock in the ocean in those first 40-plus minutes of the game, Harden said. But I just have the confidence. I work on my shot every day. Confidence is a big thing. My teammates have confidence in me to shoot the basketball and I shot it. Dwight Howard added 24 points and 16 rebounds in his second game back from a knee injury, and Patrick Beverley gave 12 points and 12 boards. The Rockets trailed by three following Kenneth Farieds tip slam with 1:24 left in regulation. Howard, who missed three of his previous four free throws, sank a pair from the line to pull Houston within a point with just over a minute to go. A pair of misses on the other end led to Hardens stepback 3 from the left wing with 10.4 left. Out of a timeout, Harden intercepted Farieds pass under the basket and had a chance to seal it from the stripe, but he split the pair, leaving the door open. Out of timeouts, Ty Lawson raced down the floor and handed to Arron Afflalo, who forced OTT with a 3-ball as the buzzer went off.dddddddddddd. Donatas Motiejunas, who scored 18 for Houston, made consecutive shots from the post to start overtime, but Denver went in front on Danilo Gallinaris 3- pointer with 2:43 remaining. But Harden scored the next four points and gave Houston a 111-108 cushion with 23.9 seconds left with two free throws. Beverley put the game away, making 4-of-4 from the line in the final 18 seconds. Wilson Chandler led Denver with 23 points, Afflalo scored 22 and Lawson handed out 16 assists. Im proud of the guys and the way they played. So these kinds of losses I can stomach a little bit better, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. Denver led 33-32 early in the second quarter when Lawsons short jumper sparked a 14-1 run. Faried capped the burst with a dunk, and the Nuggets had built a 47-33 advantage. The spread grew to 16 later in the period before Howard and Harden led the Rockets back. The duo combined for 20 of Houstons 30 points in the stanza, and the hosts trailed 60-55 at the half. Houston took its first lead since it led 16-14 in the first quarter on a Harden stepback jumper midway through the third, but Denver regained the lead and went into the fourth with a 78-75 lead. Game Notes The Rockets beat Denver 108-96 on Saturday ... Harden shot 18-for-21 from the foul line. The Nuggets shot 18-for-23 from the line as a team ... Denvers bench outscored Houstons, 42-7 ... Lawson played a game-high 46:45, while all five Rockets starters posted between 41:46 and 46:04 ... Denver has lost seven of eight. ' ' '