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 He started off the New Year exactly where he left off, scoring a
hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime, in the Hurricanes'
4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at the
Verizon Center.
"Goal scorers can go on streaks and he's certainly on a nice
streak," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. "You give him the
opportunity and he's certainly going to capitalize."
Skinner scored two goals in regulation and netted his third of the
game 1:20 into the extra period when he converted a 3-on-1, tapping
a perfect cross-ice feed from defenseman Ryan Murphy past Capitals
rookie goaltender Philipp Grubauer.
"It's a great pass," Skinner said after his second hat trick of the
season. "He sort of threads it through (Mike Green's) legs. A great
play by him."
The win was the second in a row for the Hurricanes (16-16-9), who
had won just two of their previous 10 games.
It also moved the Hurricanes within five points of the Capitals, who
lost for the fifth time in six games (1-2-3).
"At the end of the day, we have [two] points in our last three
games," Caps winger Troy Brouwer said, "and it's not good enough in
a tight division."
Hurricanes goalie Anton Khudobin turned aside 38 shots for the win.
He was making his first start since Oct. 13. Grubauer stopped 29
shots in his third straight loss.
After a relatively quiet first period in which the Hurricanes took a
1-0 lead on a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Skinner, both teams showed
their offensive firepower in the second period, scoring five goals
in a span of 4:34.
"I don't want to say bad words," Khudobin said, "but sometimes it
happens."
The Capitals started the game with right winger Alex Ovechkin on a
four-game scoring drought and playing on the second line. Ovechkin
began the second-period barrage 49 seconds in when he rumbled down
the right wing, used defenseman Ron Hainsey as a screen and pumped a
shot high over Khudobin's glove for his league-best 31st goal of the
season.
The Canes regained the lead 55 seconds later when center Manny
Malhotra went top shelf on Grubauer for his third goal of the
season. The Caps responded at 3:02 when Brouwer, promoted to the top
line in place of Ovechkin, backhanded a Nicklas Backstrom rebound
under the crossbar for his ninth goal of the season.
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Just 38 seconds later, Ovechkin was awarded a penalty shot
when Carolina defenseman Justin Faulk hauled him down on a
breakaway. Ovechkin ran out of room on his deke attempt and
Khudobin poke-checked it away to leave the Capitals captain
2-of-9 in career shootout attempts.
The miss didn't seem to deter the Capitals, who grabbed their
first lead of the game at 3:54 when defenseman Steve Oleksy
skated around the Carolina net, came out the other side and
found an opening inside the left post for his second goal of the
season.
Washington's lead lasted just 44 seconds.
Skinner tied the score at 3-3 when Murphy's slap shot bounced
off Grubauer, through the legs of Capitals center Martin Erat
and onto his stick. He hammered a shot past Grubauer for his
second goal of the game and team-high 18th of the season.
It marked the 22nd time this season the Capitals have allowed an
opponent to score within 2:30 of scoring their own goal.
"It's been a problem, for sure," Brouwer said. "It's been
something we've been trying to address. We just can't get the
mindset to make smart plays and get the puck deep. We're turning
pucks over, we're making mistakes. Maybe we just get a little
too excited after scoring goals."
NOTES: D John-Michael Liles, who was acquired by the Hurricanes
for D Tim Gleason just before taking the ice for the Toronto
Maple Leafs in the Winter Classic, played in his first game for
Carolina and was paired with D Ryan Murphy. Hurricanes LW Brett
Sutter was recalled from the Charlotte Checkers before the game
and played on a third line with Drayson Bowman and Tuomo Ruutu.
... LW Brooks Laich returned to the lineup for the Capitals
after missing 14 of the previous 15 games with groin-related
pain. ... Capitals D John Carlson received a standing ovation
when he was recognized for being selected to the U.S. Olympic
team. He is the first Capitals player named to Team USA for the
Olympics. Carolina D Justin Faulk was also chosen for the team.
... The Capitals are back in action Saturday when they visit the
Minnesota Wild. It's the first time they will leave the Eastern
time zone since they played in Colorado on Nov. 10. ... The
Hurricanes conclude their two-game road trip in Uniondale, N.Y.,
where they will face the Islanders on Saturday.
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