Capitals Crush Coyotes

Zigmund Palffy scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Washington Capitals to a 6-3 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Day 50. The win lifts Washington back to .500 for the season at 11-11-3.

Both teams came out flying in the first period, and shots were fired at both nets with reckless abandon. The Capitals finally broked the deadlock when Rob Blake scored from Palffy and Patrick Marleau at 12:54. Phoenix answered with a goal of their own at 18:39. St. Louis was the scorer from Yashin and Lidstrom.

Washington turned it up in the second period, and after just 1:41 it was 2-1. Anson Carter scored the goal from Dan Boyle and Palffy. Less than four minutes later, it was 3-1 as Washington tallied on the power play. Ivan Rachunek got the goal from Todd Warriner and Mark Eaton at 5:08. The Caps kept the pressure up, and Palffy's goal from Blake at 10:43 made it 4-1. Washington extended the lead to four goals just 1:42 later when Peter Tenkrat scored his third of the season from Marleau and Rozsival. Phoenix finally pulled a goal back on the power play at 15:33. With Andrew Ference in the box for charging, Yashin netted from Lidstrom and St. Louis just eight seconds into the advantage. The Capitals quickly regained their four-goal lead as Jonathan Cheechoo scored from Eaton and Rachunek at 17:55.

The shots kept coming for Washington in the final period, but the goals didn't follow. The Coyotes got the only goal of the period when Holmstrom lit the lamp from Dubinsky and Rivet at 11:45.

Peter Skudra made 21 saves to earn his first win with Washington. His record is now 1-1-2. Patrick Lalime stopped 14 shots for Phoenix in a losing effort. Robert Esche made 22 saves in relief.

Washington returns to action on Day 52 against the Predators.