Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 Friday night at PNC Arena in Raleigh. The teams would exchange power play goals in the first and second periods to make it 2-2 at the second intermission. Carolina added an early third period goal to regain the lead but the Caps would rally late with two goals, including a Jay Beagle tally with 1.3 seconds left in the game for the win. The Capitals are now officially on their league-mandated bye-week, and are off until Thursday when the visit the Devils in New Jersey. Puck drop is 7:00 PM. 

STARTERS
Philipp Grubauer (3-5-3, 2.56 GAA, .916 sv%) started between the pipes for the Caps. Cam Ward (11-4-2, 2.78 GAA, .907 sv%) got the start in goal for the Hurricanes. The Capitals forward lines and defensive pairs for the game:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-DSP
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Connolly-Eller-Oshie
Stephenson-Beagle-Chiasson

Djoos-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Bowey

Andre Burakovsky missed a second consecutive game due to illness, and did not make the trip to Raleigh. As a result, the Caps recalled Travis Boyd from Hershey earlier in the day. Taylor Chorney and Travis Boyd were the healthy scratches.

FIRST PERIOD
The Capitals were called for the game’s first penalty when Brett Connolly was called for interference at 3:10 of the opening frame, and the Canes would quickly capitalize. Jordan Staal would score on the end of a nice tic-tac-goal at 3:20 of the first period.

The Capitals would get their first crack at the man-advantage moments later when Klas Dahlbeck was called for holding at 5:28 of the first period, and the Capitals would make it count. Lars Eller would notch the tally on the end of a mad scrum in front of the Canes net at 7:25 of the first.

The period would conclude with the Caps and Canes tied 1-1. The Capitals outshot the Hurricanes 12-10 for the opening frame. The Caps won the faceoff battle 65-35%.

SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would take the lead on an Alex Ovechkin power play snipe from the office :28 into the middle frame. John Carlson tallied his 300th career NHL assist on the goal.

The Canes would tie it up with a power play goal by Sebastian Aho at 8:50 of the middle frame.

The period would end with the game tied at 2-2. Carolina led in shots on goal 18-7 for the second period, and led 28-19 after 40 minutes of play.

THIRD PERIOD
The Hurricanes would quickly regain the lead with a goal from Jeff Skinner at 1:48 of the final frame.

Brett Connolly would tie the game with a blast from the right point at 16:52. This was Connolly’s 10th of the season.

The Capitals would complete the rally and win it with time running out with a goal by Jay Beagle. His winning tally came with 1.3 seconds left on the clock.

John Walton with the call on Caps radio:

SHAVINGS

• Lars Eller has now scored in four-straight games. That’s the longest goal scoring streak of any Capital this season. Eller has five goals in his last seven games.
• Alex Ovechkin’s 28th goal of 2017-18 is also the 586th of his career- ties Brett Hull for the 3rd most all-time within a player’s first 13 NHL seasons.
• John Carlson has recorded his 300th career point with an assist on Ovechkin’s goal (67g, 233a), becoming the 24th player and the seventh defenseman to reach that milestone in franchise history.
• NHL box score is here.

By Jon Sorensen

SCENES FROM RALEIGH

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Packed house tonight for the Canes game! #redvolution #raleighrealestatefoodie

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