UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Capitals had dropped six straight at home before knocking off the Metropolitan Division leaders.
Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored power-play goals and Vitek Vanecek stopped all 36 shots he faced in the Caps’ 4-0 shutout of the Hurricanes. Ovechkin scored his 33rd goal of the season and his 763rd in the NHL to move three back of Jaromir Jagr for third place on the career list.
Carolina has lost two in a row and had its point streak snapped at seven games. Frederik Andersen made 28 saves for the Hurricanes.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Nick Schmaltz scored early in the third period and Karel Vejmelka stopped 42 shots to send the struggling Coyotes past the league-leading Avalanche, 2-1. Loui Eriksson also had a goal for the Coyotes, who trail Montreal by a point for the fewest in the league. Devon Toews scored the lone goal for Colorado, which still has the most points in the NHL with 84.
— The Panthers earned a 3-0 win over the Senators as Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 18 shots in his 36th career shutout. Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Lomberg scored 12 seconds apart in the third period to break it open. Hornqvist and Mason Marchment each had a goal and an assist in Florida’s first win in four games.
— Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists for the Penguins in a 5-1 thumping of the Lightning. Sidney Crosby, Danton Heinen, Brock McGinn and Jake Guentzel also scored as Pittsburgh won for the eighth time in its last nine road games. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was given a game misconduct for arguing with officials with 53.7 seconds remaining in the second period after the Lightning received an extra minor penalty stemming from a scrum.
— Craig Smith notched his third career hat trick and David Pastrnak scored twice in the Bruins’ 5-2 verdict over the Golden Knights. Pastrnak’s 23 goals since Jan. 1 lead the NHL. The Bruins improved to 4-1-0 on their six-game road trip, and 9-3-2 in their last 14 away from home.
— The Wild’s four-game winning streak is over after Jonas Brodin and Matt Boldy scored 25 seconds apart in the third period to lead Minnesota’s 5-4 comeback over the Flyers. Ryan Hartman scored twice and Cam Talbot turned back 26 shots for the winners. Philadelphia has lost 21 of their last 24 games and five of six on a club-record eight-game homestand.
— Ben Chiarot scored his second goal of the game 1:03 into overtime to give the Canadiens a 5-4 victory over the Flames. Jeff Petry, Nick Suzuki and Mike Hoffman also scored for Montreal and Andrew Hammond made 30 saves. Pacific Division leading Calgary missed a chance to set a franchise record of 12 consecutive home victories.
— Nils Hoglander and rookie Vasily Podkolzin scored 45 seconds apart midway through the third period to give the Canucks a 4-3 comeback win over the Islanders. Anthony Beauvillier put the Islanders ahead 3-2 early in the third before Vancouver rallied. Vancouver has won seven of their last 10 games and are 19-8-4 since Bruce Boudreau replaced Travis Green as coach in early December.
— Alex DeBrincat scored 2:23 into overtime as the Blackhawks beat the Oilers 4-3. Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist for Chicago, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves. Evander Kane scored twice for Edmonton, which closed out a 2-3 road trip.
Caps to clash with Canes outside
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Capitals will be the Carolina Hurricanes’ opponent in the NHL’s outdoor Stadium Series game next season.
The game is scheduled to take place Feb. 18, 2023 at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium across the parking lot from the Hurricanes’ home arena.
It would be Carolina’s first outdoor game and Washington’s fourth.
