(My Sportsbook) - Reaching the 500-goal plateau wasn't supposed to be easy for Washington Capitals right winger Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday night. He would have to post his second hat trick of the year.

Hat tricks had come at a premium for Jagr, as he had managed just 10 in his 13-season career. Nonetheless, Jagr came up big and posted a trio of goals in helping the Capitals to a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

Jagr's three-goal effort came in a barrage early in the game, as he posted the first three tallies of the tilt. The ever-humble Jagr didn't make a big deal out of his feat.

"I don't even think about it," Jagr said. "I knew I was pretty close. I'm glad we won. It was a big game for us. Of course, [the win} was the most important thing."

He became just the 33th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals and the eighth player with two or more hat tricks in the league this season. The Southeast Division-leading Capitals increased their lead over the Lightning to five points.

"I feel really good," Jagr said. "I think I am maybe too cocky right now, but I believe I can play this way, and the whole team is playing well and that's very important. The team is playing well and scoring a lot more goals than we did early in the season. That's my job to score goals and other guys' job to play good defense and other guys fight for the team and stop the puck. Everybody is doing their jobs the way they're supposed to."

Jagr scored his first of the night at 7:27 of the first period on a shot from the right circle, then added his second at 3:46 of the second on a wrist shot from the low slot. He ripped a one-timer from the top of the right circle on a power play just over 3 1/2 minutes later for the milestone.

"I don't think he was playing the game thinking, 'I've got to go get 500,' " said Kip Miller. "But it's a huge milestone and he deserves it, and I think he's relieved he got it. He showed up and played his [backside] off tonight. I think he's the best player in the game."

Peter Bondra and Mike Grier added a power play goal apiece for the Capitals in the winning effort. The Capitals were 3-for-6 on the power play and killed off each of Tampa Bay's seven chances with the man-advantage.

"What I liked best was our start," Coach Bruce Cassidy said, "and obviously our big guy and the power play took over in the second period. Our best players outplayed their best players. That was the difference in the game from the goaltender on out."

Washington has won three of its last four contests and sits atop the Southeast Division with 60 points.

UP NEXT

Washington begins a tough three-game homestand Wednesday night against the Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Devils. Seven of its next 11 games are at the MCI Center.