DALLAS -Backup Andrew Raycroft made 37 saves, Brandon Segal scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, and the Dallas Stars survived a late scare to win their fifth straight, beating the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Thursday night.
Mike Ribeiro added a power-play goal to help Dallas snap Washington winning streak at four games.
Dallas is 7-0-1 in its last eight at home.
Raycroft was sharp in his fourth start of the season, giving Kari Lehtonen the night off.
Mike Knuble struck on the power play and Michal Neuvirth stopped 19 shots for the NHL-leading Capitals, also the league goal leaders.
The Capitals thought they'd tied it with 7.6 seconds left on a shot by John Carlson. But Alex Ovechkin crashed the net and ended up in the crease, interfering with Raycroft.
Referee Dan O'Rourke immediate disallowed the goal. Washington coach Bruce Boudreau was so livid over the decision that the Capitals received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Ovechkin, Washington's points leader with 33, failed to score a goal in his ninth consecutive game.
Dallas capitalized on its third power play of the second period at 13:29 when Ribeiro broke up a scoreless game, finding space in front of the net and firing the rebound of Brad Richards' shot past Neuvirth at 13:29.
Knuble tied it at 10:18 of the third period, scoring from low in the left circle off Mike Green's cross-ice pass.
Segal put the Stars back in front 20 seconds later on a shot from beyond the right circle and into the upper left corner of the net past a late-reacting Neuvirth.
Boudreau said at the morning skate that he wanted his team to come out in attack mode, and his players got the message.
Washington built a 14-7 shots advantage in the scoreless first period, with Raycroft turning in a strong opening 20 minutes.
Raycroft kept the game scoreless early in the second period with a flashy glove save on Green with 22 seconds left on Washington's first power play.
Ovechkin was involved in a scrap with Dallas' Adam Burish at the end of the opening period, earning Ovechkin a roughing minor.
Burish checked Marcus Johansson cleanly near center ice, and Ovechkin took exception, jumping on Burish as players from both teams jumped onto the pile before punches could be exchanged.
NOTES: The Stars are 4-1-1 in their last six against the Capitals and 16-4-3 against Washington since moving to Dallas in 1993. The teams met for the only time this season. ... Last season in Dallas' 4-3 victory, Ovechkin had two goals and 10 shots.
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