NHL: Washington 5, Philadelphia 4 (SO)

PHILADELPHIA, March 22 (UPI) -- Alexander Semin's shootout goal Tuesday handed the Washington Capitals a 5-4 victory over Philadelphia in a battle of the Eastern Conference's top two seeds.

After Danny Briere had kept Philadelphia alive in the tiebreaker, Semin moved on net quickly and backhanded the puck past Flyers goalie Brian Boucher, who missed a poke check on the play.

The shootout game-winner salvaged a victory for the second-seeded Capitals, who squandered a 3-0 lead but still managed to pull to within a single point of Philadelphia atop the East.

Briere completed the Flyers' rally with a goal late in the third period that gave Philadelphia a 4-3 advantage but Marcus Johansson knotted the game with less than 4 minutes left in regulation.

Michal Neuvirth stopped 29-of-33 shots and Mike Knuble finished with a goal and two assists for the Caps.

Claude Giroux and Andreas Nodl each notched a goal and assist for the Flyers.

Sergei Bobrovsky started in net but was pulled in the first period after yielding three goals on nine shots and Boucher turned aside 13-of-14 shots the rest of the way.