Hurricanes rally for 4-2 victory over slumping Caps. Ovechkin scores both goals for Washington.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 1:51 remaining and the Carolina Hurricanes overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Friday night.

Jake Guentzel had two goals, including an empty-netter, and an assist and Martin Necas also scored for Carolina. Jaccob Slavin had two assists and Pyotr Kochetkov made 14 saves.

Washington’s Alex Ovechkin scored two first-period goals and Darcy Kuemper made 41 saves. The Capitals have lost five in a row (0-4-1).

Ovechkin scored two goals in a game for the fourth time in less than three weeks, a span of 10 games with 10 total goals. Of his 851 career goals, 50 have come against the Hurricanes.

Looking to recover after Thursday night’s 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, it took time for the Hurricanes to get their offense going. They were in danger of dropping consecutive games in regulation for the first time since a four-game skid in December.

Necas tied the game on a power play with 8:20 to play. Aho’s team-leading 34th goal came on the next power play.

Ovechkin scored his first goal of the game at 3:31 of the first period on a rebound. His 29th goal of the season came with 45 seconds left in the period, tipping in a shot from John Carlson. Carlson’s shot from inside the blue line came after the Capitals controlled an offensive zone faceoff.

Guentzel scored with 5:30 left in the second. He collected a long stretch pass from Slavin and converted. Guentzel has scored in back-to-back games and now has five goals in 13 games with Carolina and 27 goals overall this season.

Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov missed the game with what the team announced as an illness.

UP NEXT

Capitals: host Ottawa on Sunday.

Hurricanes: host Columbus on Sunday.

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