T.J. Oshie scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period Sunday as the Washington Capitals topped the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-3, in a battle for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Oshie's goal came at 10:40 off a short-range rebound. Carl Hagelin added an empty-netter, his second goal of the game.

The Capitals, who snapped a four-game losing streak, moved two points ahead of Pittsburgh, which has a game in hand.

Jakub Vrana and Tom Wilson also scored for Washington. Braden Holtby made 32 saves.

Patric Hornqvist, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored for Pittsburgh, which lost its third straight. Matt Murray made 18 saves.

Vrana opened the scoring at 6:12 of the first period. From a faceoff in the far end, he got the puck and raced past everyone. Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson made a late attempt to sweep the puck away from behind and fell in the process. Murray stopped Vrana's shot, but Pettersson's momentum carried him and the puck over the line.

Hornqvist tied it at 14:47 of the second period. A shot from the left point by Kris Letang went off defenseman Radko Gudas in front, and Hornqivst batted in the puck.

Crosby gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead 26 seconds later. He took a pass from Jason Zucker while driving to the net. He was upended by Oshie but got off a shot while in the air. Oshie's momentum carried him and the puck into Holtby and over the goal line.

Wilson tied it at 1:16 of the third period during four-on-four play. Pettersson turned over the puck to Nicklas Backstrom, who set up Wilson for a breakaway. Wilson slipped the puck past Murray's right skate.

At 4:41 of the third period, Hagelin gave Washington a 3-2 lead on a rebound in a crowded crease. John Carlson's assist gave him 475 career points, a franchise record for a defenseman.

Malkin's highlight-reel goal tied it again. He moved down the left side, slipped the puck between Carlson's skates and flipped it past Holtby at 8:50 of the third.

--Field Level Media