Andrei Svechnikov ripped in two goals, including the game-winner with just 6:04 left in the third period, catapulting the Carolina Hurricanes to a huge 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals Tuesday night. This win pushes the Canes’ insane streak to six straight, and man, does this team look locked in right now, even without their captain.
Svechnikov Keeps Lighting the Lamp as Canes Battle Back
This game was a back-and-forth grind, exactly what you’d expect from these two. Boone Jenner, one of Washington’s top offseason free-agent signings, kept his personal hot streak alive, scoring for the third straight game to give the Capitals an early 1-0 lead at 9:26 in the first period. But Svechnikov, who’s been on fire himself with six goals in his past five games, wouldn’t let that last. He tied it up 1-1 by poking in a rebound of William Carrier’s shot 3:58 into the second. The Caps grabbed the lead back when Justin Holl buried a shot from the right circle with 6:39 left in the second, making it 2-1 Washington. But the Hurricanes clawed right back, with Eric Robinson’s pass deflecting off Martin Fehervary’s stick past Logan Thompson to tie the game at 2 with only 1:11 left in the second.
That set the stage for Svechnikov’s heroics in the third. After Justin Sourdif went to the penalty box for tripping, Svechnikov wasted no time. Just six seconds into the power play, he beat Thompson with a backhander for the game-winner. Carolina only finished 1 for 5 on the power play, but they made that one count when it mattered most. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stood tall for the Canes, making 20 saves and improving his personal record to an unblemished 4-0-0 this season. Thompson, for the Capitals, stopped 31 shots, and Ryan Leonard picked up two assists.
Ovechkin’s Last Raleigh Ride Overshadowed by Hurricanes’ Grit
Tuesday night marked Alex Ovechkin’s last scheduled visit to Raleigh, and the 41-year-old Capitals captain, set to retire after this season, received a well-deserved standing ovation early in the first period. The Lenovo Center has truly been a second home for the Russian superstar, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NHL draft held right there in Raleigh. His 59 career points in 49 regular-season games are more than he’s racked up at any other NHL venue outside of Capital One Arena. It’s wild to think that chapter is closing. While the Hurricanes managed to keep Ovechkin in check for the night, they did so while missing their own captain, Jordan Staal. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour announced earlier on Tuesday that the 38-year-old center would miss at least a month with a calf injury, sustained in warmups before Sunday’s win at Philadelphia. Losing your captain, especially a veteran like Staal, for that long is a tough blow, but the Canes showed serious grit to keep this win streak going.
Up next, the Capitals are back home to host Montreal on Wednesday, so they’ll need to shake this one off fast. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are packing their bags to start a five-game road trip, kicking things off at Winnipeg on Saturday. Can they keep this incredible streak alive without Staal on the road? We’ll be watching to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply