If only the Washington Capitals played Carolina every night.
The Caps continued their domination of the Hurricanes with a 4-1 victory last night at MCI Center, snapping a seven-game winless streak and finally recording the franchise’s 1,000th regular-season victory. The offensive explosion came with a stellar performance from goalie Olie Kolzig, who single-handedly kept the Caps in the game with 13 saves in the first period.
Jaromir Jagr had a goal and two assists to lead the Caps, who have won all three meetings with the Hurricanes this season but just nine of 40 against the rest of the NHL. The Caps also won for the first time in 18 attempts this season after trailing at the end of the first period.
“I purposely didn’t look at the length of [the winless streak],” said Washington coach Glen Hanlon, whose team had scored only eight goals while posting an 0-6-1 record since Dec.23. “I think that helped me coach the same every day.”
Kolzig finished with 29 saves and shut out Carolina after Jeff O’Neill gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead on a power play 5:53 into the game. The Caps won despite getting outshot 30-16 and were able to make the best of their limited opportunities against goalie Kevin Weekes (12 saves).
Rookie Alexander Semin and Robert Lang each had a goal and an assist for Washington, and Bates Battaglia put the game away early in the third by providing a three-goal lead. The Caps converted on two of six power-play opportunities, while the defense and Kolzig yielded one score on eight extra-man situations by Carolina. The Hurricanes were stoned on all four power-play chances in the final period.
“If teams give us that many power-play chances, with our group of guys out there, we are going to score a couple goals,” Hanlon said.
The Hurricanes came out as the aggressor and outshot Washington 14-4 in the first period. There was a smattering of boos among the announced crowd of 14,850 as the Caps left the ice after the period.
“After the first, we started to tighten up [on defense],” Washington defenseman Brendan Witt said. “We got good pucks deep and didn’t turn the puck over. We also got our forecheck going.”
The Caps shook off their early doldrums to take a 2-1 advantage after the second and pounced on Weekes for two more goals early in the third. The Caps came in with an 0-14-3 record when trailing after the first period.
It was a feel-good win for Washington, although it probably will mean little in an overall troubling season.
“You can’t look at the big picture,” said Jagr, who recorded his third three-point game. “It’s too dark to think we have to win 30 of 40 [to make the playoffs].” The Czech star broke out of a personal slump after only one goal and three assists in his previous nine games.
Washington, which has beaten Carolina in seven of eight meetings beginning last season, took its first lead on Semin’s rebound and score at 16:53 of the second. The Caps took advantage of a hooking call on Carolina’s Kevyn Adams, who tripped Mike Grier from behind on a one-on-one opportunity as the Washington forward was closing in on the crease.
The Caps quickly cashed in off of Lang’s straightaway shot from between the circles. Semin, who was playing his first game since spending four weeks with the Russian junior national team, got the rebound on the left side and beat the out-of-position Weekes for his fourth goal of the season. Jagr started the play to earn his 25th assist.
Washington pulled away starting with Lang’s power-play score at 2:15 of the third. The Caps’ leading scorer notched his 21st goal after winning the puck from defenseman Aaron Ward at the left of the cage and beating Weekes from just inside the left circle. Jagr and Semin were credited with assists.
“We haven’t won here in two years,” Hurricanes defenseman Niclas Wallin said. “After one period, we felt good. Maybe that was a problem.”
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