2ac284b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411acRCRDapproved/thenational/Articles/Migration/2010-02Senators pass Capitals test1ac284b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____Chris Phillips and Alexei Kovalev score in the third period, while Jason Spezza has a goal and two assists as Ottawa move to the top of the Northeast Division.<p>Chris Phillips and Alexei Kovalev scored in the third period, while Jason Spezza had a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators moved to the top of the Northeast Division with a 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals in Thursday night. "It was a great test for us," said Phillips. "We played one of the top teams in the game right now and we stuck with them.</p> <p>"We didn't get intimidated by their offensive ability. "They obviously showed it again tonight and we didn't get down, we battled back and that's what's so great about this team right now." For the Capitals, it was their second defeat in as many nights following a team-record 14-game winning streak - and their coach, Bruce Boudreau, was not amused. "It was an ugly display," said Boudreau. "I thought our defence was horrible and our goaltending was horrible.</p> <p>"You're not going to win when you give up six goals and maybe five of them are bad ones and our defence can't make a play. It's awful." The Capitals' netminder, Semyon Varlamov stopped 22 shots in his first game in more than two months, but the ones that got by him angered Boudreau. "I don't think he was ready to play," the coach said. "He knew he was going to play. He's had 12 days of practice and a game under his belt.</p> <p>"It's his responsibility to be ready. When you say he's rusty, it's an excuse. And excuses aren't tolerated. The puck's going through his legs? He's been making that save since he was seven. "Unless his memory banks have lost it. "He should have made the saves. But the giveaways by our defencemen were more horrible than the goaltending and I didn't think the goaltending was good." Washington's defeat allowed the <B>San Jose Sharks</B> to draw level with them for the NHL's overall points lead.</p> <p>Patrick Marleau scored the game-winning goal in a shoot-out to give the Sharks a 3-2 victory over the <B>Detroit Red Wings</B> and increase their points total to 89. After neither team converted during their first five attempts, Marleau scored to give San Jose their first win in four meetings with Detroit this season. The Sharks; goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov, also a big part in the win with a career high 50 saves.</p> <p>"Two points is two points, I don't care who it is against," Nabokov said. "There are so many good teams and getting the points is what counts. [Detroit] was shooting from everywhere and coming to the net and battling. "It was great for our defence to defend that." The Red Wings lost their fourth straight as they battle for a play-off spot in the Western Conference after making the Stanley Cup finals last year.</p> <p>"When you lose in a shoot-out and your team doesn't play well, those are the tough ones. I didn't feel that way tonight," said the Red Wings' coach, Mike Babcock. "We had every opportunity to win the game tonight." * With agencies</p> 80YYSPORT2010021300000020100213000000100ARhttp://adedit.ad.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100213/SPORT/702129834070212983420100213100000000211130f974c6e95258210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____1ac284b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____fdc7e91672448210VgnVCM200000e66411acRCRDd45248a03f158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____1ac284b241158210VgnVCM100000e56411ac____c714d5c4ac158210VgnVCM200000e66411acRCRDImageArticle Asset captionArticle Asset option