Capitals rout Hurricanes 6-1
WASHINGTON -- Dmitry Orlov scored twice, Braden Holtby made 25 saves and the Washington Capitals defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-1 on Monday night at Verizon Center.
Washington, which increased its points streak to 14 consecutive games (12-0-2), got a goal and an assist apiece from Justin Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov.
T.J. Oshie added his 18th of the season -- giving him a goal in four straight games -- and Lars Eller closed out the scoring. Andre Burakovsky had three assists and Karl Alzner added two.
It was Orlov's second career two-goal game.
The Capitals (32-9-6) have scored four or more goals in eight consecutive games.
Jordan Staal scored for Carolina (21-19-7), which led 1-0 before dropping its fourth straight.
Cam Ward, who lost to the Penguins 7-1 in his last start, had 19 saves for Carolina.
Washington had scored first in 10 straight games, but Staal snapped that streak less than five minutes in.
With Oshie in the penalty box for holding, Staal found an opening in the slot and one-timed a pretty pass from Elias Lindholm past Holtby at 4:39 for his 10th goal of the season.
After going seven games without a power-play goal, the Hurricanes have connected in each of their last two games.
The Capitals tied it with a power-play goal of their own at 11:44 when Orlov's shot from the top of the left circle deflected off Staal's stick and by Ward.
With 2:55 left in the period, Washington took a 2-1 lead when Williams lofted a shot from the point through a screen for his 17th goal of the season and eighth in the last 11 games.
Washington had only four shots on goal in the second period but scored on two.
Orlov scored his second goal at 8:06 of the period on a blast from just inside the blue line off a pass from Brett Connolly. It was his fourth goal of the season.
Kuznetsov made it 4-1 with 1:20 left in the second when he scored off the rebound of his own shot.
NOTES: The Capitals lead the NHL in goals-against per game. ... Washington RW T.J. Oshie was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday. Oshie recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in three games. ... Capitals D John Carlson (lower-body injury) missed his fourth game. ... Carolina Ds Noah Hanifin and Matt Tennyson returned to the lineup after serving as healthy scratches versus the Columbus Blue Jackets. C Jay McClement, D Klas Dahlbeck and D Ryan Murphy were the Carolina scratches. ... The Hurricanes played their first of just three Monday night games this season.