Dylan Strome provided the deciding goal in the fifth round of the shootout as the Washington Capitals defeated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 7-6 in a highly entertaining game when both teams had a player record a hat trick Friday night.
Sonny Milano had three goals, while Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson and Connor McMichael also scored for the Capitals, who made the most out of 25 shots on goal. Strome provided three assists and Ivan Miroshnichenko had two assists.
Washington (34-26-9, 77 points) used Darcy Keumper, who allowed four goals on 22 shots, and Charlie Lindgren, who surrendered two goals on nine shots, in the nets. The Capitals are now one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.
Sebastian Aho’s hat trick led the Hurricanes (44-20-7, 95 points), but their five-game winning streak was snapped. Jaccob Slavin had a goal and an assist, while Seth Jarvis and Brady Skjei had the other Carolina goals. Jarvis has scored in six consecutive games. Jake Guentzel supplied three assists and Martin Necas had two assists.
Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov gave up six goals on 25 shots for the Hurricanes, who are one point behind the first-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division.
The teams combined for five third-period goals.
Milano had a goal in each period for a season total of 13.
Aho produced the tying goal with 2:21 to play in regulation for his 30th goal of the season.
Jarvis tied the game at 5-5 with 11:25 left on a power play for his 27th goal of the season. McMichael answered with his 16th.
A night after coach Rod Brind’Amour praised his Carolina team’s penalty killing, the Hurricanes gave up three goals on Washington power plays.
Ovechkin’s 24th goal came on a second-period power play.
The game marked the return to Washington of forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was traded to Carolina earlier in the month after 10 1/2 seasons with the Capitals. Somehow, despite logging more than 15 minutes through regulation, he didn’t factor into the scoresheet. He also didn’t convert as he took the first attempt of the shootout.
The Capitals were without forward Tom Wilson, who was suspended six games earlier Friday because of a high-sticking incident against Toronto on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media