New York Islanders' Kyle Okposo (21) is checked into the...

New York Islanders' Kyle Okposo (21) is checked into the boards by Washington Capitals' Shaone Morrisonn (26) during the second period of an NHL hockey game at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill) Credit: AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill

The most-staggering statistic in Washington's 7-2 rout of the Islanders?

Last year's league MVP Alex Ovechkin did not register a point.

Unlike the previous three meetings between the teams, there was no need for an overtime period or shootout at Nassau Coliseum last night. The Islanders couldn't hang with the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals, who won their seventh straight.

The Capitals proved to be a well-balanced juggernaut as six players scored two points. Alexander Semin scored twice and Brendan Morrison, Mike Knuble, John Erskine, Jason Chimera, and Brooks Laich all chipped in a goal each.

"Their skill kind of took over," captain Doug Weight said. "We gave them a little confidence early and they were tic-tac-toe-ing the puck around and made us look stupid."

The Capitals' onslaught began only 1:05 into the first period after Morrison deflected Erskine's shot from the left point past Dwayne Roloson. Semin extended Washington's lead to two goals with his wrist shot from the left circle at 4:49.

With his fourth power-play goal of the season and sixth overall, Rob Schremp cut the Capitals' lead in half, firing from the left dot to beat Capitals goaltender Jose Theodore over his right glove at 6:03.

The Capitals scored twice more - on Knuble's power-play tally at 18:13 and Semin's crushing goal with 5.2 seconds left in the first - before the Islanders made a swap in goal.

Roloson was pulled for the third time this season after giving up four goals on 12 shots and replaced by Rick DiPietro. (Theodore also left the game and was replaced by Michal Neuvirth in the third period.)

"Mentally, I didn't want him to get beaten up in a game where they were at their top," Islanders coach Scott Gordon said.

The Capitals scored a pair of goals on DiPietro in the second period and Kyle Okposo scored his 12th of the season from point-blank range on a goal-line feed from John Tavares at 9:35, giving the Islanders a daunting four-goal deficit to surmount in the third period.

Laich gave the Capitals their final goal of the night, slicing between Bruno Gervais and Weight and going top shelf against DiPietro at 14:52 of the third.

"Just a bad game all-around," said DiPietro, who made 18 saves.

Beyond the dispiriting defeat, the Islanders were hit with another loss.

Defenseman Jack Hillen had to be taken to a hospital after being hit in the face on a blistering slap shot by Ovechkin in the first period. Hillen, with blood dripping from his mouth, skated off with assistance from a team trainer.

"We saw Jack after the game and he was a little hazy, but aware," Weight said. "Whether it's your teammate or not, that's one where you just get on your knees and hope the guy is OK."

Notes & quotes: Islanders defensive prospect Calvin de Haan is out six months with a torn labrum and will have surgery Thursday. De Haan, a first-round pick in 2009, suffered the injury during the first period of the Oshawa Generals game against the Saginaw Spirit on Sunday.

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