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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Capitals are taking baby steps back toward respectability.

Olaf Kolzig made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season and the Capitals beat the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 Sunday night.

Robert Lang scored for the Capitals, who have won two straight for the second time this season, the first time at home. Washington's only other consecutive victories were Nov. 29 in Columbus and Dec. 2 at the New York Islanders.

"The only way to build confidence is by winning," Kolzig said.

Edmonton, which had won three of five, finished a six-game road trip 3-2-0-1.

"We're fighting to get back into playoff position and these are the ones you can't let slip away," Edmonton left wing Mike York said.

The Oilers were 0-for-6 on the power play and twice wasted two-man advantages.

"Our power play is getting predictable right now with the lack of offense that it provides for us," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. "I can't remember the last power-play goal we got, but we got a two-minute, five-on-three tonight and couldn't capitalize -- that ended up costing us the game."

While the Edmonton power play faltered, Washington's penalty killers prospered.

"We don't want to take that many penalties and for the penalty kill to carry us, but if that's the case, that's the case," Kolzig said.

Lang's team-high 22nd goal gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with 20 seconds left in the first period. Lang was between the circles and flicked a centering pass from Jeff Halpern past Tommy Salo.

The Capitals killed three Edmonton power plays in the second period, including a double minor on defenseman Brendan Witt on which the Oilers managed only two shots.

Kolzig, who recorded his 32nd career shutout, made three big saves later in the second period.

He stopped Cory Cross' wrist shot on a rush down the slot, then knocked away Ethan Moreau's follow-up on the rebound with just over four minutes remaining. In the final minute of the period, Kolzig swatted away Moreau's attempted stuff in front.

The Oilers gambled after a cross-checking penalty on Halpern 2:30 into the third period, asking for a measurement on one of Jaromir Jagr's sticks. The stick was deemed illegal, but Edmonton failed to score on a two-minute, two-man advantage.

"They had all the time in the world," Capitals defenseman Sergei Gonchar said. "To kill those two minutes were huge for us."