Hurricanes at Capitals
The Washington Capitals hope that the third time is the charm as they look to rebound from two straight losses and secure their 50th victory of the season on Tuesday, when they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The NHL-leading Capitals concluded their four-game road trip with a 4-3 overtime setback against Los Angeles on Wednesday and a 5-2 loss to San Jose three nights later.
T.J. Oshie scored in back-to-back contests to end the trek for Washington, which has won two of three meetings with its Metropolitan Division rival. The Hurricanes posted a 4-2 win over the Capitals on New Year's Eve and have recorded eight points in their last five games (3-0-2) to pull within five points of Detroit for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. "Is the clock running? You bet it's running," Carolina coach Bill Peters told the team's website. "Do we need to accumulate wins? We do. It starts (Tuesday) in Washington." Rookie Phillip Di Giuseppe, who scored in the Hurricanes' win over Washington, also tallied in a 3-2 overtime loss to Buffalo on Saturday for his second goal and fifth point in the last four games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, CSN-DC (Washington)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (31-26-12): With former captain Eric Staal now playing for the New York Rangers, Jeff Skinner has made a push to be the new face of the team by collecting three goals and as many assists during his four-game point streak. The 23-year-old Skinner has turned it up against the league's best to boot, scoring Carolina's lone goal in a 4-1 setback against Washington on Oct. 17 and tallying in the most recent meeting between the clubs. While Skinner is heating up, veteran goaltender Cam Ward has struggled of late by permitting at least three goals in five of his last six starts (2-3-1).
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (49-14-5): Captain Alex Ovechkin raised a few eyebrows on Monday by admitting that he still is being hampered by the lower-body injury that sidelined him for the All-Star Game. "It still bothers me," the three-time Hart Trophy winner told the Washington Post. "But of course, when we have that kind of schedule, it lets you know right away that it bothers you, that it's sore." Washington played five times during a seven-game stretch from Feb. 28-March 5 and Ovechkin has limped along by failing to score a goal in each of his last five contests.
OVERTIME
1. Washington C Nicklas Backstrom has scored two goals and set up two others versus Carolina this season to extend his career total to 50 points (14 goals, 36 assists) in 44 career contests against the club.
2. The Hurricanes have thwarted 15-of-16 short-handed situations over their last seven games.
3. Washington has yielded the first goal in 13 of its last 15 contests.