WASHINGTON — In an exciting game on Friday night, the Washington Capitals triumphed over the Carolina Hurricanes with a score of 3-1, successfully snapping their two-game losing streak. Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael each found the net in the dying seconds of periods, while Charlie Lindgren delivered a standout performance, making 23 saves throughout the match.

Lindgren particularly shone during the second period, where he executed a spectacular windmill save against Tyson Jost shortly after Pyotr Kochetkov, the Hurricanes’ goalie, showcased his skills with consecutive saves on dangerous scoring attempts. Kochetkov played remarkably well at the beginning of the game, stopping 19 of the 22 shots directed at him.

Jakub Vrana also contributed to the Capitals’ scoring, helping the team improve to a solid 10-4-2 record when playing at home. The Hurricanes, however, experienced a setback as they ended their own two-game winning streak when Seth Jarvis managed to score against Lindgren, breaking his shutout with 9:38 left on the clock.

**Key Takeaways**

Hurricanes: Carolina struggled on the road once again, extending their winless run to 0-4-1 in their last five away games. During this challenging stretch outside of Raleigh, they have been outscored 21-10 in regulation time. The Hurricanes’ upcoming schedule looks tough, as three of their next four games will be on the road.

Capitals: Despite missing their captain Alex Ovechkin due to a broken left fibula, the Capitals bounced back to register their ninth victory in 13 games. Head coach Spencer Carbery has indicated that Ovechkin will not return before the Christmas break, with a possible comeback date set for December 28 when the team faces off against Toronto.

**Key Moment**

A pivotal moment came when Kochetkov made consecutive saves against McMichael and Pierre-Luc Dubois, leading to a quick 3-on-1 counter for the Hurricanes. However, Lindgren’s impressive spinning glove save on Jost kept the Capitals in the lead, earning him a lengthy standing ovation from the enthusiastic home crowd.

**Key Stat**

Taylor Raddysh’s secondary assist on Vrana’s goal brought his season point total to 15, matching his entire point tally from last season in Chicago, achieved in 41 fewer games.

**Up Next**

The Hurricanes are scheduled to visit the New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon, while the Capitals will host the Los Angeles Kings later that same day.