Tom Wilson scored his career-best 33rd goal of the season and the Washington Capitals wrapped up the top spot in the Eastern Conference by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a shootout Thursday night.
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) waves to the crowd as he takes part in a pre-game ceremony to honor him for scoring 895 career NHL goals before an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) takes part in a pre-game ceremony with his family and members of the Capitals organization to honor him for scoring 895 career NHL goals before an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) stands next to one of his gifts as he takes part in a pre-game ceremony to honor him for scoring 895 career NHL goals before an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) battles for the puck against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, right, during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard (9) skates with the puck past Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates with goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79), defenseman Matt Roy (3) and right wing Ryan Leonard (9) after an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren reaches for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tom Wilson scored his career-best 33rd goal of the season and the Washington Capitals wrapped up the top spot in the Eastern Conference by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in a shootout Thursday night.
Pierre-Luc Dubois scored the shootout winner after the Capitals rallied from a 2-0 deficit, then blew a 4-2 lead, with Carolina’s Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis scoring in the third period to tie it. That came after Washington’s scoring spree in the second, with Dylan Strome, Nic Dowd and Tom Wilson all putting goals past Frederik Andersen.
Dubois also scored in regulation, while Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves and stayed in the game after a nasty collision seven minutes in on Carolina’s second goal.
The Hurricanes, who are locked into second place in the Metropolitan Division and a first-round matchup against New Jersey, got to overtime but lost their fourth in a row. Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake also scored, and Andersen allowed four goals on 28 shots in regulation.
Brandon Duhaime and Jalen Chatfield dropped the gloves early to settle a score from the teams’ game last week. The Capitals were unhappy with Chatfield’s takedown of Connor McMichael at the end of their fight.
Takeaways
Hurricanes: Goaltending may be an issue, and coach Rod Brind’Amour may need to consider Pyotr Kochetkov over Andersen in the playoffs.
Capitals: After moving past Ovechkin getting the record, this was more the kind of hockey they want to be playing this late in the regular season.
Key moment
Lindgren did not allow a goal in the shootout.
Key stat
Ovechkin has 23 points in his past 19 games dating to March 1.
Up next
Hurricanes host the New York Rangers on Saturday, just after the Capitals play at Columbus.
