• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Ovechkin, Capitals aim to get back on track vs. Hurricanes

Nov 5, 2007 - 3:12 PM Washington (5-8-0) at Carolina (8-3-3) 7:00 pm EST

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The Washington Capitals were rolling the last time they played the Carolina Hurricanes.

Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals hope a second meeting will help them get back on track as they visit the Hurricanes on Monday.

Washington, which has lost eight of its last 10, started the season 3-0 after a 2-0 win over Carolina on October 6.

Although Ovechkin scored his team-leading ninth goal on Friday, the Capitals dropped their second straight decision, 3-2, to Philadelphia.

Goaltender Olaf Kolzig stopped 23 shots in the previous win over Carolina to record his only shutout of the season. Kolzig also had a strong effort in a 2-1 win at the New York Islanders on October 8, but has struggled since, losing five of his last seven starts.

The longtime veteran will have his hands full with the Hurricanes, who have scored 24 goals in their last five games.

Matt Cullen has been the leader of the scoring binge, collecting eight assists and nine points. The 11-year veteran was a member of the 2006 Stanley Cup champions, but left and then returned this past offseason.

Cullen scored a goal and tallied an assist in Saturday's 4-2 win over Florida to extend his points streak to six games.

While Kolzig will have to slow a high-powered offense, history is on his side. He is 25-11-1 with eight ties and a 2.16 goals-against average vs. the Hurricanes, and has won his last three meetings with them.

Carolina won the season series, 5-3-0, last season, and was 3-1 here.