Mike Rupp's hat-trick proved the difference as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New York Rangers to strengthen their position at the top of the Atlantic Division.

Rupp's first career hat-trick included the game-winning goal with 8:46 left in the third period, while Sidney Crosby scored twice in the second period of the 5-2 win at Madison Square Garden. Marian Gaborik got both for the Rangers.

Ryan Miller produced a 38-shot shut-out as the Buffalo Sabres eased to a 3-0 success over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tim Kennedy, Henrik Tallinder and Jochen Hecht got the goals which took the victors clear of the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators at the top of the Northeast Division.

The Washington Capitals overcame an injury to influential forward Alex Ovechkin to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 and strengthen their position at the top of Southeast Division.

Ovechkin, who has 18 goals and 11 assists so far this season, received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Hurricanes' Tim Gleason in the opening period and needed medical help to leave the ice.

However, Nicklas Backstrom (2) and Eric Fehr netted to give the Capitals a 3-2 success, with Joe Corvo and Matt Cullen replying.

Northwest pacesetters the Calgary Flames were far too strong for the Nashville Predators, winning 5-0 with David Moss, Nigel Dawes, Adam Pardy, Curtis Glencross and Jarome Iginla netting and Miikka Kiprusoff managing a 22-shot shut-out.

Atlanta were pegged back three times by the Florida Panthers before Maxim Afinogenov pounced just six seconds from the end of the game to win the match 4-3 for the hosts.

Mark Popovic, Ilya Kovalchuk and Chris Thorburn had the Thrashers in control but Stephen Weiss, Rostislav Olesz and Michael Frolik levelled - only for Russian Afinogenov to settle a contest which saw Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun leave the ice on a stretcher during the first period after being accidentally struck in the head by the stick of team-mate Keith Ballard.

Elsewhere, RJ Umberger's hat-trick helped the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-2 win over the St Louis Blues, the Detroit Redwings defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1, while Matt Duchene scored twice and Craig Anderson recorded a 33-shot shut-out as the Colorado Avalanche won 3-0 at Tampa Bay Lightning.