Caps prevail in shootout, hand Canes 4th straight loss

Pierre-Luc Dubois scored the game’s first goal and then finished it with a shootout tally as the Washington Capitals defeated the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a matchup between the Metropolitan Division’s top teams Thursday night.

Both teams overcame two-goal deficits in regulation.

Dylan Strome, Nic Dowd and Tom Wilson also scored in regulation for the Capitals (50-19-9, 109 points). Charlie Lindgren had 30 saves.

The Hurricanes (46-27-5, 97 points) have lost four in a row since last week’s home victory against the Capitals. But by forcing overtime, Carolina picked up a team point that clinched home-ice advantage for its first-round playoff series with the New Jersey Devils.

Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis had the goals for Carolina. Brent Burns provided two assists and Frederik Andersen made 24 saves.

Jarvis tied the game with 1:45 remaining in regulation after the Hurricanes pulled Andersen for an extra skater. Carolina made it through the overtime period despite a power play for the Capitals. Dubois notched a shootout-deciding goal for the second time in his career.

Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, in his first game since becoming the NHL leader in career goals, had one point, an assist on Strome’s goal.

The Capitals won for the third time in their last eight games (3-4-1) after going through a mini-slump that might have been overlooked because of Ovechkin’s record pursuit.

Dubois reached the 20-goal mark by pulling the Capitals to within 2-1 on a power play with 1:54 left in the first period.

Strome’s power-play goal with 9:10 left in the second period pulled Washington even and began a string of three Capitals goals in less than seven minutes.

Dowd put Washington on top for the first time with 3:09 left, then 38 seconds later, Wilson made it 4-2.

Martinook’s goal off a shot from just inside the blue line 4:42 into the third gave the Hurricanes a boost after they were held to nine shots on goal in the second.

There was a response from last week’s fight-filled third period when the Capitals were outraged with Carolina defenseman Jalen Chatfield’s body slam of Connor McMichael. Brandon Duhaime fought Chatfield six minutes into Thursday’s game.

In a pregame ceremony, Ovechkin was honored for his record-setting 895th goal Sunday against the New York Islanders.

Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (upper-body injury) was out of the lineup.

–Field Level Media