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(Sports Network) - The Washington Capitals enter tonight's play with the best record in the NHL. The Stanley Cup contenders will also have a much different look when they return to the Verizon Center for this evening's clash with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Washington was one of the most active buyers at the trade deadline, bringing in four notable players in different deals on Wednesday. Defensemen Joe Corvo and Milan Jurcina were acquired from Carolina and Columbus, respectively, while the Caps also added veteran wing Scott Walker from the Hurricanes as well as center Eric Belanger in a swap with Minnesota.

The Capitals gave up a second-round pick in this year's draft for Belanger, who had 13 goals and 22 assists in 60 games for the Wild this season. The club sent defenseman Brian Pothier, minor-leaguer Oskar Osala and a second-round choice in 2011 to land Corvo, an accomplished power-play pointman who matched a career best with 14 goals for the Hurricanes in 2008-09.

Jurcina returns to Washington just over two months after being dealt by the team to the Blue Jackets on December 28. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Slovakian native had been with the Capitals since the 2006-07 campaign. Walker, 36, is expected to lend experience and leadership for the postseason run.

None of the newcomers were present for last night's 3-1 victory at Buffalo, in which Washington scored twice in the third period to halt a three-game losing streak.

Mike Green snapped a 1-1 deadlock with a one-timer past Sabres goaltender and Olympics star Ryan Miller midway through the final session, and Boyd Gordon tacked on an empty-net goal in the closing seconds to seal the win.

Green has now scored at least a point in six consecutive contests, having notched three goals and six assists over that span.

Jose Theodore did his part as well in Wednesday's win, with the Washington netminder stopping 23-of-24 shots on the night. The former Vezina Trophy winner is now 11-0-2 over his last 13 starts.

The Capitals will be seeking their seventh straight win over the Lightning at the Verizon Center this evening. Washington has taken 13 of the past 14 overall meetings between these Southeast Division foes, with Tampa Bay's lone triumph over that stretch a 7-4 verdict in Florida on January 12.

Steven Stamkos netted a pair of goals in that aforementioned win, and the young Lightning center is carrying a franchise-record 14-game scoring streak into tonight's matchup. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has racked up 12 goals and 13 assists during his binge, with two of those tallies coming in Tuesday's 7-2 home loss to Philadelphia.

Stamkos' second goal gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead early in the second period, but the Flyers would draw even later in the frame before erupting for five goals in the final 20 minutes.

"Hockey is a game of mistakes," said Lightning forward Martin St. Louis. "We had them at 2-1 in the second period, then it's the ones you make a few times in a row that make the difference."

Steve Downie had an assist on one of Stamkos' goals and now has 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) during an eight-game scoring streak.

The Lightning, who trail both Boston and the New York Rangers by only two points for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, made one trade at Wednesday's deadline, sending veteran center Jeff Halpern to Los Angeles for right wing Teddy Purcell and a third-round draft choice in 2010. The 24-year-old Purcell had three goals and three assists in 41 games for the Kings this season.