WASHINGTON — Goalie Cam Talbot and the New York Rangers moved atop the Metropolitan Division by beating the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Wednesday night while overcoming Alex Ovechkin’s league-leading 45th goal.

Martin St. Louis, Carl Hagelin and J.T. Miller each scored a goal for the Rangers.

Talbot made 28 saves, including one particularly spectacular glove grab of a close-in shot from Nicklas Backstrom during a scoreless five-on-three chance for Washington that lasted 1:18.

Talbot snatched the puck right at the goal line. The play was reviewed and the original ruling of no goal stood.

A night after a 2-1 victory at the New York Islanders, the Rangers moved a point ahead of their city rivals with exactly a month left in the regular season.

Talbot, getting most of the work in net while Henrik Lundqvist is on injured reserve with a hurt neck, is 4-0-1 in his past five games.

In his last nine games, Talbot is 7-1-1 with a 1.54 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. He also has two shutouts.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, SABRES 3: Tyler Bozak tied the score late in regulation and then had the only goal in the shootout to lift host Toronto.

NOTES

MAPLE LEAFS: The team president, Brendan Shanahan, said forward Nazem Kadri will be held out of the next two games.

Kadri missed a team meeting Sunday and then was made a healthy scratch for Monday’s game.

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