Hockey

Svechnikov Lifts Hurricanes Past Capitals for Sixth Straight Win

By Hugo Brennan

Svechnikov Lifts Hurricanes Past Capitals for Sixth Straight Win

Andrei Svechnikov supplied the decisive touch on the power play and added an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes extended their winning streak to six games with a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals at Lenovo Center on Tuesday.

Svechnikov broke a 2-2 tie with 6:04 remaining in regulation, then helped finish the night when Mark Jankowski scored into an empty net. Carolina moved to 6-1-1, while Washington fell to 3-3-0 and absorbed its second straight loss.

Back-and-forth night turns on Carolina power play

  1. Washington opened the scoring at 9:26 of the first period. Sean Walker blocked a Ryan Leonard attempt, but Leonard recovered the puck and fed Boone Jenner, who beat Pyotr Kochetkov with a short-side wrist shot for a 1-0 Capitals lead.

  2. Carolina pulled even at 3:58 of the second. Logan Thompson stopped William Carrier twice in close, but Svechnikov found the loose puck beneath the goaltender’s left pad and nudged it across the line.

  3. The Capitals went back in front at 6:39 of the middle frame in Justin Holl’s Washington debut. Recalled from AHL Hershey on Monday, the veteran defenseman fired from the top of the right circle through traffic to make it 2-1.

  4. Eric Robinson brought the Hurricanes level again at 18:49 of the second period. His shot changed direction off Martin Fehervary’s stick and slipped past Thompson, sending the teams to the third tied 2-2.

  5. Carolina’s power play delivered the winner at 13:56 of the third. Nikolaj Ehlers worked the puck out of the corner to Svechnikov, who pulled Thompson across the crease before lifting a backhand from close range for the 3-2 lead.

  6. With Washington’s net empty, Svechnikov set up Jankowski at 18:33. The goal pushed Jankowski’s scoring streak to five games and sealed the 4-2 result.

Notebook

  • Svechnikov ended the night with two goals and one assist.

  • Robinson scored Carolina’s other goal, and Kochetkov stopped 20 shots.

  • Thompson made 31 saves for Washington.

  • Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall left during the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return.