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Hurricanes, Capitals meet in Southeast battle

Feb 23, 2008 - 2:05 PM Washington (28-26-7) at Carolina (31-28-5) 5:00 pm EST

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) - The Carolina Hurricanes are threatening to run away with the Southeast Division. The Washington Capitals are trying to rein them in.

The Capitals will try to gain ground when they visit the Hurricanes on Saturday.

Carolina is 4-1-1 in its last six games, including a 5-3 win against division foe Atlanta on Thursday. Scott Walker scored the game-winner and added a pair of assists and Ray Whitney scored his 25th goal in the victory.

The win left them four points ahead of Washington and five points ahead of Atlanta in the Southeast, in which the winner will lock up the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, while the second-place finisher will likely miss the postseason.

The Capitals have had some hard luck of late, losing three of their last four games - twice in shootouts. Washington scored twice in the first period on Wednesday, but could not muster another goal.

Superstar left wing Alexander Ovechkin, who leads the NHL with 48 goals has not recorded a point in the past three games.

Carolina leads the season series 3-2-0, and won the latest matchup, 2-1, on February 8. Ovechkin has had some luck against the Hurricanes, however, totaling five goals in the five contests.