RALEIGH, N.C. — Evgeny Kuznetsov and Lars Eller every had a purpose and an help, and the Washington Capitals held off the Carolina Hurricanes for a Four-Three win Friday night time.
Richard Panik and Jakob Vrana additionally scored for the Capitals, who had dropped two in a row. Rookie goalie Ilya Samsonov stopped 38 pictures to win for the 11th time in 13 begins this season.
Washington led Four-1 early within the third interval earlier than Carolina rallied on power-play objectives by Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Dzingel. Samsonov stopped Warren Foegele late within the recreation to protect the win.
Jordan Staal additionally scored for Carolina (24-15-2), which dropped to 2-1-Zero on its seven-game homestand.
Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
The Capitals (28-9-5) entered the sport tied for probably the most factors within the NHL with the Boston Bruins, however had dropped their final 4 video games in opposition to the Hurricanes relationship to Video games 6 and seven of the Jap Convention semifinals final season.
After Carolina posted a 6-Four win over the Capitals on Dec. 28, Hurricanes ahead Warren Foegele confirmed the sequence had developed right into a rivalry, saying: “We don’t like them. They don’t like us.”
Samsonov helped Washington construct an early lead and break by in opposition to the Hurricanes. He’s the Capitals’ No. 2 goaltender behind Braden Holtby, who’s an NHL All-Star for the fifth straight season.
However like Holtby, Samsonov has been excellent this season, and he entered as the primary goalie in NHL historical past to open his profession with wins in his first seven street video games in the identical season.
Ilya Samsonov, Washington Capitals (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
On Friday, he stopped 18 pictures within the first interval as Carolina opened with a high-energy assault. After Panik scored 2:58 into the second, Samsonov used his proper pad to cease a backhander by All-Star defenceman Dougie Hamilton on a short-handed breakaway.
Seconds later, Kuznetsov sneaked behind Hamilton on the identical Washington energy play to attain on the goalmouth on a move from the purpose by John Carlson.
NOTES
Kuznetsov has 4 objectives and one help in his final three video games. He has 16 objectives this season and is on tempo to attain 30 in a season for the primary time in his profession. … Washington is 9-1 this season in video games performed on Friday and 17-1-Three when scoring the opening purpose. … On the midway level of the season, the Hurricanes have the second-highest level whole by 41 video games in franchise historical past with 50 factors. Solely the 2005-06 group, with 58 factors and a 27-10-Four document, had extra factors by 41 video games.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Return dwelling to satisfy San Jose on Sunday.
Hurricanes: Meet Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Ken Tysiac, The Related Press
