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Semin, Clark help Capitals top Hurricanes, end road skid

Jan 19, 2007 - 5:40 AM RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Another strong performance by Alexander Semin helped the Washington Capitals end their long road losing streak.

Semin recorded his fourth multi-goal effort in seven games and sixth of the season and captain Chris Clark also scored twice as the Capitals posted a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The win ended a six-game road skid for Washington, its longest drought away from home since dropping seven in a row from February 28-March 27, 2004.

"Anytime you are on the tail end of a losing streak, and you have a great effort and don't win, those seem to be the real disheartening ones," Capitals coach Glen Hanlon said. "On the other side of it, it reassures our group here that they can play against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. You give a good effort, you play well and we can finally win these games."

Clark opened the scoring with seven minutes remaining in the first period, unleashing a shot that was accidently deflected out of the air by Hurricanes defenseman David Tanabe and past goaltender John Grahame.

"It was huge," Clark said. "It's always a momentum booster, whoever gets that first goal. It is sometimes deflating to the other team to work your way back in to a game. It wasn't the best goal, but nonetheless, it went in."

"It was just instinct to swipe at the puck," Tanabe said. "I've been playing the game for over 20 years and never had that happen once. It just happened to go into our net, so what are you going to do?"

At 11:28 of the second session, and just four seconds into a power play, Semin made it 2-0. After gaining control of the puck off a faceoff, he skated around a defender and toward the net before firing a shot that beat Grahame high to the glove side.

"We're a fast team, and the thing is just to go play hockey," Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig said. "When we're physical and we're moving our feet, we're very good. Maybe not as deep talent-wise as Carolina, but we can create ourselves."

After Erik Cole halved the deficit two minutes into the final period, Semin restored Washington's two-goal lead, beating Grahame with a backhander on a breakaway at 9:33.

"Semin is a skilled player and he was coming at me with some speed," Grahame said. "I slipped when I went to push across, and that (messed) everything up. As a goalie in that type of situation, you need to come up with the save. You'd like to come away with a breakaway save to help the team."

Clark and All-Star Alex Ovechkin added empty-net goals in the final minute and Kolzig stopped 34 shots for his 270th career win to help Washington stop a three-game overall slide.

"I was fortunate on a couple of saves," Kolzig said. "Those are breaks, and I'm a believer in breaks evening out. We've been on the unfortunate side the last few games. We got those breaks tonight."

Eric Staal tallied his 20th goal of the season and Grahame made 25 saves for the Hurricanes, who failed to earn at least one point for the first time in six games.

"After we got behind, we were brutal," Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette said.