Dec 14, 2018; Raleigh, NC, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Jakub Vrana (13) scores the game winning shootout goal against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Capitals defeated the Hurricanes 6-5 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
December 15, 2018
Jakub Vrana scored in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Washington Capitals a 6-5 victory against the host Carolina Hurricanes in a thriller in which Washington’s Alex Ovechkin posted a hat trick for the second straight game Friday night in Raleigh, N.C.
The Capitals overcame a three-goal hole, with Ovechkin breaking a 4-4 tie with 10:11 to play in regulation on a power-play goal. Ovechkin scored his 26th, 27th and 28th goals of the season, notching a goal in each period.
In the shootout, Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton and Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom converted in the fourth round before Vrana ended it.
In regulation, Tom Wilson and Travis Boyd also scored for Washington, which has won four games in a row. John Carlson and Nic Dowd each registered three assists for the Capitals. Sebastian Aho scored twice for the Hurricanes and finished with a four-point outing, but he was not used in the shootout.
Coyotes 4, Rangers 3 (OT)
Derek Stepan scored with 32 seconds remaining in overtime as Arizona stormed back from a three-goal deficit and ended a nine-game road losing streak to New York.
Stepan gave Arizona its first win over the Rangers in New York since Dec. 2007 when he finished off an odd-man rush and lifted a wrist shot from the right circle over former teammate Henrik Lundqvist’s right pad while using New York defenseman Brady Skjei as a screen.
Stepan’s dramatic tally also ended Arizona’s four-game losing streak and a nine-game overall skid to the Rangers since Oct. 3, 2013. It was Arizona’s first overtime win against the Rangers since Nov. 2, 1986 and the franchise’s first overtime win at Madison Square Garden.
Devils 5, Golden Knights 4
Nico Hischier scored 41 seconds into overtime as host New Jersey twice rallied from three-goal deficits to defeat Vegas.
Hischier took a pass from Marcus Johansson and then skated in from the right side of the goal and slid a shot inside the left post past Marc-Andre Fleury to give New Jersey its first overtime win of the season in six tries.
William Karlsson scored two goals, and Alex Tuch and William Carrier also scored for Vegas, which lost for the first time in 13 chances when leading after two periods. Fleury had 37 saves for the Golden Knights.
Penguins 5, Bruins 3
Jake Guentzel scored a tiebreaking goal in the third period and goaltender Casey DeSmith made a career-high 48 saves as Pittsburgh beat visiting Boston.
Zach Aston-Reese finished with two goals, an assist and nine hits. Derek Grant and Phil Kessel scored and Sidney Crosby had two assists for Pittsburgh, which is 4-1-1 in its past six games.
Chris Wagner had a goal and an assist, and Brandon Carlo and David Krejci also scored for Boston, which had won three straight. Jaroslav Halak made 23 saves.
Oilers 4, Flyers 1
Connor McDavid scored twice and had an assist as Edmonton defeated visiting Philadelphia, who improved to 9-2-2 under new coach Ken Hitchcock, including 6-0-0 at home.
Alex Chiasson and Adam Larsson also scored for the Oilers, Leon Draisaitl added three assists and goaltender Mikko Koskinen remained unbeaten in seven decisions this season at home by stopping 31 of 32 shots.
Jakub Voracek scored and Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves for the Flyers, who have lost three straight and are 3-7-3 in their past 13 games. Stolarz has allowed 14 goals over his past three appearances.
Jets 4, Blackhawks 3
Mark Scheifele scored his second goal of the game 50 seconds into overtime to lead Winnipeg to its fourth straight win by beating host Chicago.
Goalie Laurent Brossoit stopped 34 shots for the Jets, who have won eight of their last nine games and sit atop the Western Conference standings. Winnipeg has won four straight meetings with the struggling Blackhawks.
Scheifele, whose game winner gives him 20 goals on the season, also collected an assist, giving him 11 points in a four-game scoring spree.
Blues 4, Avalanche 3 (OT)
Ryan O’Reilly scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 2:05 of overtime and St. Louis defeated visiting Colorado.
Colton Parayko scored twice and Ivan Barbashev also had a goal for St. Louis while O’Reilly added an assist. Sven Andrighetto, Matt Calvert and J.T. Compher scored for Colorado. Compher added an assist.
Jake Allen stopped 39 shots for St. Louis. Philipp Grubauer made 24 saves for Colorado.
Senators 4, Red Wings 2
Mark Stone scored the tiebreaking goal 7:08 into the third period for visiting Ottawa, who went on to beat Detroit.
The Senators snapped a two-game losing streak while the Red Wings dropped their second straight.
Thomas Chabot also scored for the Senators. Goalie Craig Anderson recorded 26 saves. Luke Glendening and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings. Goalie Jimmy Howard made 28 saves.
–Field Level Media
