Washington Capitals take 2-1 shootout win over Carolina Hurricanes
Pyotr Kochetkov led the Carolina Hurricanes on to the ice Sunday at PNC Arena, something the goalie might have to do more often this season.
With Frederik Andersen sidelined and Antti Raanta sent down to the American Hockey League, at least for now, Kochetkov has taken over as the Canes’ No. 1 goalie. It’s his net, with the responsibility that comes with it.
The Canes, hosting the Washington Capitals on Sunday in a Metro Division game, went to a shootout before the Caps won 2-1. Evgeny Kuznetsov, shooting second, had the only shootout goal, scoring against Kochetkov on his ever-so-slow move.
Caps goalie Darcy Kuemper, 3-0 in shootouts this season without allowing a goal, stopped Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jarvis on Sunday to earn the Caps an extra point.
The Caps (15-9-4) came inches from scoring early in the overtime before the Canes’ Brady Skjei swept in to knock away the puck. Moments later, Kuemper denied Martin Necas on a wraparound, and Kochetkov.
It was 1-1 after two periods as Aho and the Caps’ Martin Fehervary both scored in the second. Kochetkov, moving well, playing with confidence, was matching saves with Kuemper and both teams worked hard to gap up defensively and limit scoring chances.
“I thought we played a good game defensively and it was a tight, hard-fought game,” Aho said.
After a scoreless first when the Canes (16-12-3) had an apparent power-play goal disallowed for goalie interference, both teams broke through in the second.
A strong forechecking shift by the Aho line ended with Aho one-timing a shot from between the circles for a 1-0 lead. Stefan Noesen, who was called for interfering with Kuemper in the first, fought for the puck behind the net, pushing it to the corner to Seth Jarvis, who found Aho open for his 12th of the season.
The Canes were able to limit Caps rushes for the most part, cleaning up a part of their game that has hurt them. But Fehervary, the trailer on a rush, found himself open in the slot and the defenseman beat Kochetkov high to the glove side at 11:33 of the period.
Of Kochetkov’s 20 saves, the best came in the first period when the Caps’ Tom Wilson was stopped on a shorthanded breakaway -- Carolina was 0-5 on the power play.
“He was real solid,” Aho said.
The Canes had a scary moment in the second when captain Jordan Staal caught a skate near an ear from a tumbling Fehevary. Staal returned for the third.
The Canes nearly broke the 1-1 tie midway through the third after Wilson was called for hooking. Aho had a nice redirection on the power play but hit the post. Defenseman Brett Pesce also hit a post with 2:16 left in the third.
The Staal line was effective in keeping the Caps’ top line with Alex Ovechkin hemmed in the Washington zone at times, eating up time, making them work in their D zone.
The Canes again went with 11 forwards and seven defenseman, keeping defenseman Tony DeAngelo in the lineup. Forward Andrei Svechnikov, who has missed the last six games with an upper-body injury, was at the morning skate and could return soon.
It was the Canes’ first game against the Caps this season and the Caps’ first trip to Raleigh since playing outdoors at Carter-Finley Stadium in the Stadium Series game in February.
Ovechkin did not play in that outdoor game, won by the Canes. He was inside Sunday but went without a goal for a 13th straight game.
This story was originally published December 17, 2023 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Washington Capitals take 2-1 shootout win over Carolina Hurricanes."
