Pro Sports

Hurricanes beat Capitals on day sale to Dundon is finalized

Posted January 11, 2018 6:00 am

By STEPHEN WHYNO

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling (33), center Jordan Staal (11), and defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) celebrate after an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - On a historically significant day for the franchise, the Carolina Hurricanes picked up an important regulation victory that helped them move up the standings.

Victor Rask scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and Scott Darling made 26 saves as the Hurricanes beat the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals 3-1 on Thursday night, hours after the team's sale to Dallas billionaire Tom Dundon was finalized. The two points helped Carolina leapfrog the idle Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins to move into a playoff position after 43 games.

"Two points in regulation is the only way you can really make up any ground," coach Bill Peters said. "You better make hay when the sun shines, and it was a nice day here in Washington today."

It'll be an even nicer day Friday in Raleigh when Dundon, Commissioner Gary Bettman and previous majority owner Peter Karmanos discuss the sale that should at least temporarily quiet relocation speculation. The NHL on Thursday announced Dundon had completed his purchase of the Hurricanes, who are expected to stay put for the foreseeable future.

"It's exciting," said Darling, who won for the first time since Dec. 16 in a rare start. "We all had a chance to meet him. He seems like a great guy. He has a lot of big plans, and we're excited to see it all unfold."

Co-captain Jordan Staal scored a short-handed goal and Sebastian Aho added an empty-netter for Carolina, which improved to 9-7-8 in one-goal games. Winger Justin Williams, who left Washington after two seasons, said the difference between the first-place Capitals and the Hurricanes was the disparity in their performances in tight games.

The Capitals fell to 12-3-3 in one-goal games and had their five-game winning streak and league-best 10-game home winning streak snapped. Players were unhappy that Rask's goal came after they thought defenseman Brooks Orpik touched the puck to stop play on a delayed penalty call.

"That one we all thought was a clear play on the puck," Orpik said. "We all were confused by it and frustrated by it, especially when that winds up being the winning goal."

Lars Eller scored for the third consecutive game and Braden Holtby made 30 saves for Washington, which lost at home for the first time since Nov. 30.

"They had been on a pretty good run here at home, and they're a tough team to play against," Aho said. "But so are we."

Outshooting and beating the Capitals was an important statement for the Hurricanes, who are seeking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and end what is the longest active in the NHL. Finding some consistency against a division opponent is a good way to continue on that path.

"It's good for our confidence, good for our confidence in our system," said Darling, who felt comfortable all night and stopped Alex Ovechkin late to preserve the victory. "When we play the right way, we're not going to win 6-1. It's going to be close games, and that's the kind of team we are. If we do the right things, we're going to get the advantage on the one-goal games."

NOTES: Peters said Hurricanes C Derek Ryan was fine after taking a high hit from Tom Wilson that led to the delayed penalty in the third period. Peters figured Ryan was going through concussion protocol and didn't have enough time to return. ... Hurricanes D Brett Pesce was a surprise scratch with an upper-body injury. Pesce took a spill while trying to take a slap shot during the morning skate, and Peters said he'll be re-evaluated back home Friday. ... Staal's 34 short-handed points are one shy of Matt Cullen for the most among active players. .... Only four teams have allowed more short-handed goals this season than Washington's six. ... Capitals F Andre Burakovsky was a late scratch with an illness. Coach Barry Trotz said Burakovsky wasn't traveling with the team to Carolina.

UP NEXT

The Hurricanes host the Capitals on Friday night in the second half of the home-and-home series. It's their third meeting in 10 days.

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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno

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More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his goal with teammates in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) defends against Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner (53) in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals defensemen Madison Bowey (22) passes the puck past Carolina Hurricanes center Elias Lindholm (28), from Sweden, in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) prepares to score a shorthanded goal as Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), from Russia, defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) passes the puck past Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jeff Skinner (53) in the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Carolina Hurricanes center Elias Lindholm (28), from Sweden, pursues Washington Capitals center Chandler Stephenson (18) in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals right wing Brett Connolly (10) tries to shoot as Carolina Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling (33) and defenseman Haydn Fleury (4) defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), from Russia, works the puck as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin (5) and center Josh Jooris (19) defend in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), from Russia, shoots in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) skates away with the puck from Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57) in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), from Russia, gets the puck away from Carolina Hurricanes left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86), from Finland, in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Carolina Hurricanes left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86), from Finland, knocks the puck away from Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) tries to get to the puck with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57), goalie Scott Darling (33) and center Elias Lindholm (28), from Sweden, defending in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen (2) knocks Carolina Hurricanes left wing Sebastian Aho (20), from Finland, to the ice in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) defends against Carolina Hurricanes center Elias Lindholm (28), from Sweden, in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Associated Press

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