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Zubrus helps Capitals post overtime win vs. Kings

Feb 9, 2007 - 5:55 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- It took nearly a decade, but the Washington Capitals found a way to win a home game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Dainius Zubrus scored midway through overtime and added two assists as the Capitals posted a 4-3 victory over the Kings.

The triumph was Washington's first at home vs. Los Angeles since April 4, 1998.

"Tonight was a game, I thought, everybody felt we needed to win," Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig said. "(Los Angeles) has actually had a pretty good road trip so far, beating Florida and then losing a shootout to Tampa, but we felt this was a game that we needed more than LA because of where we are and they are in the standings."

Boyd Gordon had a goal and an assist and Ben Clymer and captain Chris Clark also tallied for the Capitals, who improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight contests here.

In overtime, defenseman Milan Jurcina ripped a shot from above the right faceoff circle that sneaked between the pads of goaltender Mathieu Garon. Standing at the side of the net, Zubrus tapped the loose puck across the goal line for the winning tally.

"We played pretty well," Zubrus said. "Myself, I know I had a couple chances to score. I tried not to get too frustrated and stay with it, and it paid off."

It was the 11-year veteran's 19th goal and 50th point of the season for the Capitals, who squandered a pair of leads in regulation.

Superstar Alex Ovechkin recorded an assist and Kolzig stopped 26 shots for Washington, which evened its mark to 2-2-0 against Pacific Division opponents.

Rookie Anze Kopitar scored a goal and Michael Cammalleri and Derek Armstrong added two assists apiece for Los Angeles, which has lost two straight and five of its last six.

"We wore out a little bit, for some reason. It's kind of hard to comprehend," Kings coach Marc Crawford said. "Give the Caps credit. Kolzig made some very good saves and they got a couple of easy goals that you don't like to see happen."

With the game tied at 1-1 in the second period, Clymer scored on a wraparound, tucking in the puck at the left goalpost before Garon's outstretched leg arrived to give Washington the lead at 6:17.

However, Alexander Frolov tied it just 65 seconds later, when he redirected Cammalleri's shot from the right point past Kolzig for his team-leading 29th goal of the season.

Clark put the Capitals back in front with 8:25 left in the middle period, punching the puck between Garon's pads for a 3-2 edge.

"Zubie dumped it in when we both went in to forecheck and I just took it from the corner and threw it on net," Clark said. "I actually thought that Ovechkin got it, but it must have went in before. I didn't get to see it."

Lubomir Visnovsky evened the contest with 75 seconds left in the session. After receiving a backhand pass from Armstrong, the All-Star defenseman wristed a shot under the glove of Kolzig to forge a 3-3 tie.

"We played a good game," Armstrong said. "We made a little mistake in overtime. We're two teams that were struggling a little bit to get some wins, and I think we put on a good hockey show. But obviously, we got the short end of the stick."