WASHINGTON -- Alexander Semin of the Carolina Hurricanes nearly had a dream start in his return to the Verizon Center.

But Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby wouldn't allow it. Nor would the Caps allow the Canes and Semin to leave with a victory on Tuesday night.

The resurgent Caps took a 3-0 win against the Canes in the Southeast Division game. Holtby did the job in net, center Nicklas Backstrom scored a power-play goal in the first period, defenseman John Erskine had an even-strength goal early in the second and defenseman John Carlson added the clincher in the third.

Holtby earned his second shutout of the season and fifth of his career for the Caps (7-10-1), who have won five of their past seven games. The Canes, after a 4-2 road win Sunday against the New York Islanders, are 9-8-1 and have lost four of the past five.

The Canes could have had a 1-0 lead early and perhaps set a different tone for the game had it not been for Holtby.

With the Caps on a power play early in the game, the Canes' Eric Staal and Semin began a rush down the ice, Staal passing to Semin for a breakaway. Semin, who scored 197 goals for the Caps in seven seasons in Washington, attempted to flick a forehand past Holtby but the Caps goalie -- signed to a two-year contract extension Monday -- got his glove on the shot.

Moments later, Semin's stretch pass to winger Jussi Jokinen appeared to have sprung Jokinen up the middle. But he and the Caps' Alexander Ovechkin were tangled up and Jokinen was called for holding.

The Caps, who were 12-for-26 on the power play in their past nine games, cashed in as Backstrom went to the front of the net for a tip, outfighting defenseman Justin Faulk to knock the puck past Ward.

Erskine, who also received a two-year contract extension this week, scored on a big blast from the point just 31 seconds into the second.

The Caps dominated most of the period before the Canes finally made a late push in the final five minutes. Canes goalie Cam Ward faced 17 shots in the first and 14 in the second, and had to be sharp to keep the Canes in the game.

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