RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Dmitry Orlov scored on a power play with 2:55 remaining, and the Washington Capitals recovered after blowing a two-goal lead to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Sunday.
Alex Ovechkin and Aliaksei Protas scored 59 seconds apart in the second period for the Capitals, who’ve won nine of their last 11 games (9-1-1). John Carlson added an empty-netter after Orlov's goal put Washington ahead to stay.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nino Niederreiter scored in the third period for the Hurricanes. Niederreiter's goal, his first since Oct. 28, tied the game at 2-2 with 6:28 remaining.
Ilya Samsonov stopped 30 shots for Washington, while Carolina's Frederik Andersen made 21 saves.
The teams combined for 28 shots without scoring until Ovechkin took a pass from Orlov and delivered the puck past Andersen for his 19th goal of the season. Ovechkin has 44 goals in 82 games against the Hurricanes.
Protas had some good fortune for his first career goal. His pass went off Carolina defenseman Tony DeAngelo’s skate, with the puck bouncing into the net. The 20-year-old Protas was playing in his 11th NHL game.
It was Carolina’s first home game in more than two weeks. The Hurricanes went 4-1-1 on a six-game road swing.
BACK TOGETHER
The Capitals and Hurricanes had been in the same division since the 1997-98 season prior to last season's temporary realignment because of the pandemic. It had been approaching two full years since the teams last met on Jan. 13, 2020.
UP NEXT
Capitals: At Florida on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: At Dallas on Tuesday night.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_NHL
