Capitals Hammer Hurricanes

The Washington Capitals improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 4-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Day 3. New arrival Zigmund Palffy led the way for the Caps with a goal and two assists.

Washington got off to a great start in the first period when Frantisek Lukes scored from Artem Chubarov at 1:28. The Capitals continued to pressure the Hurricanes, but could not score again in the period. Washington did kill off a penalty midway through the action, but Carolina got on the board late on Wellwood's goal from Friesen at 16:00. A late Hurricanes penalty proved fruitless for the Caps.

The second period opened with a bang as Boris Mironov and Jay McKee dropped the gloves and fought to a draw. The Capitals were able to feed off this energy, and Dan Snyder made it 2-1 at 5:01. Palffy and Petr Tenkrat assisted on the goal. Washington continued to control the play after Snyder's goal, and after failing on one power play the team was able to convert on a second chance. After Draper went to the box for an obvious boarding penalty, Palffy took a Patrick Marleau pass and scored his first of the season to make it 3-1. Both teams killed off penalties later in the period, and Washington ended the action with a 12-7 advantage in shots.

The penalty parade continued in the third period as the teams traded minor penalties in the first two minutes. The action then picked up when Michal Rozsival took a double minor for charging, but Carolina responded with a pair of double minors of their own to lose any advantage. Throughout the penalty-marred period, the Capitals fired shot after shot on the Carolina goal, and Todd Warriner finally made it pay at 16:41 to make it 4-1. Palffy and Dan Boyle assisted on the tally. Washington would outshoot Carolina 16-6 in the period. The Hurricanes finally got back on the board when Friesen scored a power play goal at 19:00, but any hope of a rally in Raleigh was dashed when Draper took another boarding minor for a dirty hit at 19:03.

Tommy Salo made 21 saves to earn the victory. Jose Theodore stopped 31 shots in the loss.

Washington is off on Day 4 before returning to Washington for the home opener against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Day 5.