Capitals 3 - 2 Hurricanes
Final
  for this game

Caps even score with Hurricanes after comeback win

Mar 15, 2013 - 3:02 AM Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Mike Ribeiro scored the go-ahead goal with 2:16 remaining as the Washington Capitals rallied past the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2, to split a home-and-home series.

Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who avenged a 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday. Joey Crabb also lit the lamp in the win.

Michal Neuvirth made 36 saves for Washington, which snapped a three-game skid as well.

Alexander Semin and Patrick Dwyer scored for the Hurricanes, who had won six of seven coming in. Dan Ellis stopped 22-of-25 shots.

With the game tied and time winding down in regulation, Ovechkin came off the bench and took a pass from John Carlson before skating in on a breakaway and hitting the post. The puck was sitting on the goal line for Ribeiro, who guided it into the back of the net.

Carolina pulled Ellis for an extra attacker in the final minute, and went up another man when Nicklas Backstrom went to the box for holding with 15.5 seconds to play.

Neuvirth, however, held strong between the pipes to secure the come-from- behind victory.

"We can't be happy. We had a really well executed first period. We let them back in it," said Carolina head coach Kirk Muller.

The Hurricanes drew first blood at the 1:14 mark of the first period. Eric Staal found Semin open in front and the former Capital beat Neuvirth.

Dwyer's tip-in at the 8:17 mark extended Carolina's margin to two. Tim Gleason's shot from the left point was deflected by Dwyer in the high slot, with the change of direction fooling Neuvirth.

Washington got on the board at the 5:56 mark of the middle stanza, when Aaron Volpatti's cross-ice pass from along the left boards was tipped in by Crabb.

"(The goal) gave us a lot of life and we got through the second period just down one," said Washington head coach Adam Oates.

Ovechkin tied the game just 1:01 into the third frame. Backstrom's no-look pass from behind the net deflected off Ellis' stick and went to Troy Brouwer at the right circle. He quickly slid a pass over to Ovechkin, who found the back of the net.

Game Notes

Washington defenseman Tomas Kundratek left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury ... The Hurricanes agreed to terms with defenseman Keegan Lowe on a three-year, entry-level contract on Thursday ... The Capitals went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Hurricanes went 0-for-4 on the man advantage.






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