GAME THREAD: NHL: CAROLINA (13-10) at WASHINGTON (7-15)

NHL: CAROLINA (13-10) at WASHINGTON (7-15)

<h3>Boudreau after back-to-back wins as Capitals face Hurricanes</h3>

<div class="pre">Carolina (13-7-3) at Washington (7-14-1) 7:00 pm EST</div>

WASHINGTON (Ticker) - Nicklas Backstrom will hope to help hisnew coach again Saturday when the Washington Capitals host theCarolina Hurricanes in a battle of Southeast Division foes.

Celebrating his 20th birthday, Backstrom saved the Capitals froma terrible collapse and helped interim coach Bruce Boudreau getoff to a good start. Backstrom scored the game-winning goal inovertime Friday as the Capitals held off the PhiladelphiaFlyers for a 4-3 victory in Boudreau's NHL coaching debut.

After squandering a three-goal lead, Backstrom's goal at 1:55 ofthe extra session helped Washington snap a five-game skid. Itwas a thrilling finale for Boudreau, who was named interim coachThursday after the team fired Glen Hanlon.


Hanlon was let go after coaching the Capitals to their worst21-game start in franchise history.


For Backstrom, it was the best game of the rookie's career as hetallying a goal and two assists for his first multi-point game.He has two tallies, both game-winners, and 12 points thisseason.


The Hurricanes rallied from behind in their last contest, a 4-3triumph over the Tampa Lightning on Friday. After Ray Whitneyand Justin Williams each scored to tie the game in the thirdperiod, defenseman Glen Wesley recorded the game-winning goal.

It was Wesley's first point of the season and his first goalsince February 22, when he also notched a game-winner.

Carolina, which has an NHL-best 78 goals this season, has sixdifferent players with 22 or more points. Captain RodBrind'Amour has 11 tallies and a team-leading 27 points.

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL AT WASHINGTON
STARTING GOALIES: CAR - JOHN GRAHAME
WAS - OLAF KOLZIG

OFFICIALS: REF - CHRIS ROONEY, GREG DEVORSKI
LIN - BRAD KOVACHIK, MICHEL CORMIER</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">CAROLINA VS WASHINGTON - SCRATCHES

CAROLINA WASHINGTON

D TANABE FLU S EMINGER HEALTHY
M COMMODORE FINGER INJURY A SEMIN ANKLE INJURY
J SCHULTZ HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 1
1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MIKE GREEN 5 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, TOM POTI) 3:03</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 1 15:40 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2
1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 15 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, NICKLAS
BACKSTROM) 6:17</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 11:56 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 8:10 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 3:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 0 0
WASHINGTON 2 2 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MIKE GREEN 5 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, TOM POTI) 3:03
WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 15 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, NICKLAS
BACKSTROM) 6:17

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
CAR 11 11
WAS 15 15

GOALIES: CAR - JOHN GRAHAME
WAS - OLAF KOLZIG</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">------------------------
Carolina 0 --0
Washington 2 --2
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Washington, Mike Green 5 (power play)
(Michael Nylander, Tom Poti), 3:03. 2, Washington, Alexander Ovechkin
15 (power play) (Michael Nylander, Nicklas Backstrom), 6:17.
Penalties: B Hedican, Car (hooking), 2:48; M Cullen, Car (tripping),
5:19; C Clark, Was (hooking), 11:11.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Carolina 11 --11
Washington 15 --15
-----------------------------

Goalies : Carolina, John Grahame (15 shots, 13 saves). Washington,
Olaf Kolzig (11 shots, 11 saves). Referees: Chris Rooney, Greg
Devorski. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Michel Cormier.</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 15:50 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 2 11:45 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 3
2ND PRD: WAS - (PP) MICHAEL NYLANDER 6 (NICKLAS BACKSTROM) 11:30</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 3 6:45 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 3 6:07 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 0
WASHINGTON 3 3:50 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: CAROLINA at WASHINGTON

<div class="pre">NHL CAROLINA 1
WASHINGTON 3
2ND PRD: CAR - ERIK COLE 4 (CORY STILLMAN) 19:51</div>