Caps Clip Canes in Shootout, 4-3

Finding ways to win games when things aren't going your way has always been the hallmark of a good team, and the Washington Capitals were able to overcome some obstacles and some adversity in a 4-3 shootout win over the Hurricanes in Carolina on Friday.

Weather woes and travel travails plagued the Caps during a two-game road trip this week, leading to a planned practice in Raleigh getting scotched on Thursday. Taking the ice on Friday night after two days off, the Caps fell behind early, fell behind again in the third period, and found themselves on the wrong side of the penalty calls against a quick and plucky Carolina team. But when it was all said and done, the Caps came out on top, winning their sixth straight game.

The winning streak is Washington's longest since a nine-game spree at this time last year.

"I think the lead changed hands three times," says Carolina coach Bill Peters. "Good game, real good game. Two good teams; I thought it was outstanding. Some up and down, a lot of action and lots of Grade A [scoring chances] both ways. Both [defenses] were active, and I thought it was a good game."

For the second straight game, the Caps finished the first frame in a 1-0 hole. Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen wheeled the puck around the back of his own net, but Canes center Viktor Rask stepped in and picked it off before it could reach its intended target on the opposite side. Rask passed to Derek Ryan in front, and Ryan in turn went to Jeff Skinner, who was parked in the paint near the left post. Skinner tapped it home from about a foot away for a 1-0 Carolina lead at 5:46.

After killing off a Niskanen minor early in the second, the Capitals got a second power play opportunity. Carolina's penalty killing outfit had succeeded on 21 consecutive missions, and the Caps' early extra man work in Friday's game gave no indication they'd be better suited for success in that regard. But on the heels of a Carolina clear, the Caps executed a perfect regroup and pulled even with a pretty power play rush goal.

John Carlson quickly turned and fired a tape-to-tape pass from inside the Washington zone to Nicklas Backstrom at the Carolina line. With Carolina caught in a bit of a change, the Caps had a four-on-two rush chance. Backstrom put the puck on the tee for Alex Ovechkin in the high slot, and the Caps' captain made no mistake, whipping a dart of a shot through defenseman Jaccob Slavin and past Canes goalie Cam Ward to make it a 1-1 game at 6:25 of the middle stanza.

"Bar down through somebody's legs," remarks Peters of Ovechkin's goal. "And the guy who shot it through somebody's legs has done it before by the looks of it. That was a rocket. That's what he gets paid to do and he did it."

In the immediate aftermath of Ovechkin's tying tally, Washington had to deal with some more penalty woes. Niskanen went back to the box for interference, and when Nate Schmidt was also sent off for hooking, the Caps were looking at a three-on-five situation for 38 seconds. Washington skirted danger for that span, then killed off the remaining time on the Schmidt sentence.

Less than a minute after completing the kill, the Caps took a 2-1 lead. Evgeny Kuznetsov won an offensive zone draw to Ovechkin, whose shot missed the mark. Niskanen put it around the back of the net for Kuznetsov, whose backhand reversal went right to Justin Williams. Straddling the goal line, Williams went top shelf from a deep angle to give the Caps a 2-1 lead, finding the back of the net for the third straight game.

Alas, the Caps' lead was short-lived. Just over two minutes later, Carolina's Justin Faulk finished off a good feed from Sebastian Aho on a two-on-one rush, squaring the game once again at 2-2 with 6:29 left in the second.

For the second time in as many periods, the Caps went down a man in the first minute of the third when Backstrom was sent off for holding Ryan.

Eight seconds later, the Canes took a 3-2 lead when Teuvo Teravainen tipped Aho's shot past Caps goalie Philipp Grubauer.

After Washington's penalty killing unit kept it close by killing off an Ovechkin interference minor, the Caps set about the business of tying the game. With just over six minutes remaining, Washington did exactly that.

Niskanen and Dmitry Orlov exchanged the puck at the point, with the latter making a little fake, then regrouping to take another look and find a better lane. Orlov put a wrist shot toward the net, and T.J. Oshie tipped it past Ward to make it a 3-3 game with 6:04 left.

"[Orlov] made a good play up top and bought time for us to get some traffic," recounts Oshie. "I don't remember exactly who was one me, but I know he was trying to box me out. So I was trying to push into him and then back off a little. Orly made a great, great shot there. You tip them and hope they get a good bounce, and I got a fortunate one."

Both sides had some good chances in overtime, but neither was able to light the lamp and end the game. Grubauer was perfect in the shootout, and the Caps were able to extend their winning streak to six straight while halting Carolina's home ice winning streak at seven.

"It was a well played game," says caps coach Barry Trotz. "I think both teams were energized. We hadn't skated for a couple of days here, and they've been going pretty good. To me, they're a very dangerous team. They've got lots of young guys who can make some plays and get up the ice quite well.

"I thought we sort of gave them the game back after we got the 2-1 lead. The PK tonight was terrific and the power play got us a big goal when we needed it. I just thought it was a well played game."