Recap: Necas, Orlov Lead Canes Past Caps

RALEIGH, N.C. - In a battle atop the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes notched a sixth straight win by defeating the Washington Capitals 4-2 at Lenovo Center on Sunday.

GAME SUMMARY | BOX SCORE | UPCOMING HOME GAMES

Dmitry Orlov (2G) and Martin Necas (1G, 2A) led the offensive effort for the Canes, while Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 19 of 21 shots to earn his own fourth consecutive victory.

Orlov's first of the evening opened the scoring at 14:01 of the first. Taking a pass from Necas at the blue line, the defenseman carried the puck down the boards into the left circle before wiring a shot past Charlie Lindgren's glove for the early lead.

Two goals in the final minute of the opening frame gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead heading into the second stanza, but Necas and Orlov again teamed up for the equalizer and go-ahead goal, respectively. Necas first knotted things up on a breakaway at 2:29, then set up Orlov for a one-timer from the right circle just under three minutes later for the eventual game-winner.

Following a stout shutdown effort from the Canes in the third, Andrei Svechnikov iced the game with an empty-netter in the waning moments of play.

Stats & Standouts

• After a relatively even first period on the shot counter, the Canes tightened their grip to limit the Caps to just 11 shots through the final 40 minutes. Meanwhile, Carolina's 45 total shots on goal marked a new season-high, and they have posted 30+ shots in all but one game during the 2024-25 campaign.
• It feels like Martin Necas is leveling up in every game he plays. With another goal and two assists to his name tonight, that's now six straight games with a point, three in a row with multiple points and a team-leading 18 points in 10 games for the Czech winger - just three points off the league lead.
• Jesperi Kotkaniemi is now sporting a three-game point streak (1G, 2A) after picking up a helper on Necas' goal tonight and now boasts seven assists in the first 10 games of the season - the most in his career across a 10-game span.
• The Canes have long thrived on offense from the blue line, and tonight was Dmitry Orlov's time to shine. Rod Brind'Amour praised the defenseman's "heavy shot" after the game, which was on display on both goals. Orlov now has six points (3G, 3A) on the year, the most through the first 10 games of a season in his career.
• Another night, another quiet but steadfast showing from Pyotr Kochetkov. The Russian netminder has the reins between the pipes for the time being, and despite not facing much action in the last few games, he continues to come up with clutch saves when called upon. He's won each of his last four starts and has gotten the nod in three consecutive contests as the Canes keep rolling.

They Said It...

Rod Brind'Amour on Martin Necas' impressive production in recent games...

"That's what he does, he's got that ability. His skating is so good and you can definitely see the confidence in him. But I think he's doing other things right too. You don't see the high, high-risk stuff, but when he has the opportunity to go, he's got the ability to do it. He's been real special here to start the season."

Pyotr Kochetkov on staying focused when most of the play is at the other end of the ice...

"It's always tough. I try to stay focused, I just think about the next shot. Sometimes you feel (in a) game when (there are) not a lot of shots, sometimes no shots, you get cold...today I feel not bad. Guys had lots of work today. Capitals had a back-to-back, they played first, so we played more time in their zone and (Charlie) Lindgren had a lot of work today. I'm happy we win."

Dmitry Orlov on scoring against his former club...

"It's not easy mentally, emotionally (to play against them). 12 years, you're not just putting in the garbage. I play with some guys I know and I respect them a lot as human beings and as players. So it's special, you know, and that's an important win for us. I think we have a good stretch with six wins in a row, and we always have a good start so we'll just keep doing that and build from that."

Dmitry Orlov on continuing the team's winning streak...

"It's not easy to win six in a row and we did a good job (tonight). We've got two more home games, especially against division rivals, and we need to keep focused and not be too happy. Just move on, forget (each game) and try to have fun and play for each other."

What's Next?

The Canes are scheduled to practice on Monday and return to game action on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Next Game: Tuesday, November 5 vs. Philadelphia | Tickets | Parking