Capitals Storm Back to Stun Hurricanes in Overtime Thriller
WASHINGTON, D.C. - For 25 minutes, it looked like the Carolina Hurricanes were in full control. Up 3-0 on the road, riding a hot start and a red-hot goaltender, they had the Washington Capitals on the ropes. But hockey games aren’t won in 25-minute stretches - and the Caps made sure of that, storming back with four unanswered goals to steal a 4-3 overtime win at Capital One Arena.
Let’s start with how this one unfolded.
The Hurricanes came out under pressure early, and they needed Frederik Andersen to be sharp - and he was. Carolina’s veteran netminder turned away all 19 shots he faced in the first period, keeping the home team off the board while his teammates made the most of their chances the other way.
Mark Jankowski opened the scoring, and Sebastian Aho followed it up just over four minutes later. In a blink, Carolina had a 2-0 lead, thanks to a pair of quick-strike goals that mirrored the kind of offensive bursts we saw from them just a few nights ago. Then, early in the second, Shayne Gostisbehere joined the party, scoring for the third time in four periods to stretch the lead to 3-0.
That’s when the tide turned.
Washington had been carrying the play territorially, and midway through the second period, they finally broke through. The first goal cracked the door open, and the second - late in the frame - swung it wide. Suddenly, a game that felt like it was tilting Carolina’s way was very much up for grabs heading into the third.
In the final 20 minutes of regulation, the Capitals kept pressing. Their persistence paid off with the equalizer, sending Carolina to overtime for the 15th time this season - a number that speaks to both their resilience and their inability to close out tight games.
Overtime was chaotic. Both teams were loose with the puck, and turnovers were the name of the game. But it was Washington rookie Justin Sourdif who capitalized, burying his own rebound just 1:42 into the extra frame to complete the comeback and deliver the knockout blow.
Despite the loss, Andersen was a bright spot for Carolina. He finished with 38 saves on 42 shots - his second-highest workload of the season - and extended his personal point streak to five games (2-0-3).
He gave his team a chance to win. The rest just slipped away.
For the Hurricanes, this one stings. A 3-0 lead on the road, squandered. For the Capitals, it’s a gutsy, come-from-behind win that could inject some serious momentum moving forward.
In a league where every point matters, this was one that got away for Carolina - and one the Caps snatched with both hands.