WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals secured the Eastern Conference’s top spot with a 5-4 shootout victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 10, 2025, at Capital One Arena, marking their 50th win in their 50th anniversary season. The game, preceded by a ceremony honoring Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895 career goals, surpassing Wayne Gretzky, showcased playoff intensity with both teams erasing two-goal leads.
P-L Dubois sealed the win in the shootout, scoring the only goal while goaltender Charlie Lindgren stopped all three Carolina attempts for his 19th victory. The Caps, with four games left, avenged a 5-1 loss to Carolina on April 2 and rebounded from a recent skid, ensuring home-ice advantage for the playoffs.
“Right now, this is the time of year when you have to prepare yourself for big games,” Ovechkin said. “So I tried to set the tone, and I think the boys followed, so that’s good.” Though Ovechkin didn’t score, he recorded an assist on a power-play goal and delivered four hits, energizing the team.
Carolina struck first, with Logan Stankoven scoring at 5:42 of the first period. Moments later, a controversial goal by Jackson Blake, upheld after review when Tom Wilson’s check pushed Blake into Lindgren, gave the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead at 7:14. Dubois answered late in the first, scoring his 20th goal at 19:06 off an Andrew Mangiapane pass, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The Caps dominated the second period. Dylan Strome tied it at 2-2 with a power-play goal at 10:50, part of Washington’s 8-for-16 power-play streak over six games. Nic Dowd took the lead at 16:51, chipping in his career-high 14th goal. “Johnny [Carlson] made a really nice play, getting the puck to middle of the ice,” Dowd said. “I just crashed the net, too.” Thirty-eight seconds later, Wilson scored off a Connor McMichael feed, making it 4-2.
Carolina rallied in the third. Jordan Martinook scored at 4:42, and Seth Jarvis tied it at 18:15 with the extra attacker. Despite a failed overtime power play, the Caps prevailed in the shootout. “Fifty wins in this league, and winning the Eastern Conference in the regular season, that’s a huge achievement,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “This league is relentless, and it is a grind, and our team has done an exceptional job all year long, of staying in the moment.”
The game drew 18,573 fans, per NHL stats, reflecting D.C.’s hockey fervor. The Caps’ 50 wins match their 2009-10 high, a Presidents’ Trophy year, though playoff success has been elusive since their 2018 Stanley Cup. Carolina, at 0-3-1 on their road trip, earned a point, staying competitive in the Metropolitan Division.
Injuries tested the Caps, with defenseman Jacob Chychrun scratched due to illness; Dylan McIlrath logged 12:28 in his place. The physical tone, set by Brandon Duhaime’s fight with Jalen Chatfield, echoed playoff hockey’s edge. Washington’s 2.4 goals-against average, fifth in the NHL, underscores Lindgren’s reliability.
The win positions the Caps for a strong playoff run, with Ovechkin’s milestone—895 goals, topping Gretzky’s 894—adding historic weight. “One of the things that they do an amazing job of is understanding the importance of every game inside of these 82,” Carbery said, praising the team’s focus.
