WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Hal Gill and Ted Donato scored in a 3 1/2-minute span late in the first period and Felix Potvin stopped 28 shots Monday as Boston beat Washington, 3-1.

The Bruins ended a six-game winless streak.

Washington failed for a second time to record the 1,000th win in team history, wasting an early lead and falling to 3-7-2 in its last 12 contests.

Boston had won just one of its previous 12 games.

Gill was mired in a 60-game goal-scoring drought before lifting the Bruins into a 1-1 tie with 4:29 to go in the opening period. After Joe Thornton won a faceoff in the left circle, Gill wristed a shot from below the blue line that handcuffed goaltender Olaf Kolzig.

Donato put Boston in front in the final minute of the period as he finished off a 2-on-1 with Travis Green.