Recap: Carolina vs. Washington
Sports Network | November 12, 2008
Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The Capitals line of Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom combined for 12 points in Washington's 5-1 domination of the Carolina Hurricanes at RBC Center.
Semin had two markers and three helpers for a career-high five points and is riding a five-game point streak while Ovechkin collected a goal and two assists. Backstrom notched his first goal of the season and assisted on three others in tying a career-high with four points.
"You can tell the potential they have when they're on the top of their game. I think that all three of them were on top of their game tonight," Caps head coach Bruce Boudreau said. It was really good to get Ovie (Ovechkin) a goal early and I think that really pumped the line up."
Mike Green contributed a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who extended their winning streak to a season-high four games and took over sole possession of first place in the division from Carolina with the win.
Brent Johnson stopped 13-of-14 first-period shots before leaving with an undisclosed lower-body injury prior to the second. Jose Theodore took over and halted each of the 13 shots faced over the final two periods.
Scott Walker scored the lone goal for Carolina, which has dropped three of its last four contests. Michael Leighton was peppered with 37 shots in the loss.
"We gave them the first four goals and we turned the puck over twice. Once it got to that point we didn't compete very well," Carolina head coach Peter Laviolette said of his team's effort.
The Caps took the lead early when Semin intercepted an errant 'Canes pass at his own blue line and skated up the right side before feeding Ovechkin in the slot. The reigning league MVP deked Leighton to the ice and moved to his right, sliding the puck into an empty net just 5:11 into the contest.
Semin's goal just after the midway point of the first made it 2-0. A faceoff draw was won back to the left point where Green let a slap per go wide of Leighton. The puck caromed directly back out to Semin on the right side and he swatted it into the net.
Walker's power-play tally cut the deficit to one with an almost carbon-copy of Semin's goal 1:19 later. The 'Canes won a faceoff back to the left point for a Joni Pitkanen shot that went wide and Walker put in the rebound.
The Caps restored their two-goal advantage on the power play shortly thereafter as Green's shot from just above the right circle made it through a screen in front and past Leighton to make it a 3-1 game after one.
After a wild opening period, the teams were scoreless through the first half of the second until Ovechkin retrieved a loose puck along the right boards and fired a pass through the slot to Semin, whose one-timer skimmed under the pads of Leighton and trickled in for a 4-1 lead, which was held entering the final frame.
Backstrom collected a shot down low from Ovechkin that deflected off a 'Canes skate and rammed it into the back of the net to complete the scoring barrage at 8:36 of the third.
The Hurricanes have lost four straight against Washington, including a 3-2 setback in D.C. last Thursday in what was the first of six meetings between the clubs this season...The Capitals improved to 3-4-1 as the visiting club this year...Wednesday's loss marked the end of a three-game homestand for the Hurricanes, who are 3-4-0 as the host this year...Washington was without forward Sergei Fedorov and defenseman Shaone Morrisonn for the third straight game due to injuries suffered in last Thursday's contest against the Hurricanes...Pitkanen returned to action for the first time in nine games, having been sidelined with a knee injury...Semin now has (17 G, 11 A) 28 points in 21 career games against the Hurricanes.
