Canes clip Caps

RALEIGH -- No Alexander Ovechkin?

No problem. Or so the Washington Capitals had to believe.

The Caps lead the Eastern Conference by a wide margin. Even with Ovechkin serving the second game of a two-game suspension, they still had the likes of Alexander Semin, Niklas Backstrom, Mike Green and Mike Knuble.

But the Carolina Hurricanes found a way to win Thursday night. Ray Whitney's goal with 57.3 seconds left in overtime gave the Canes a 4-3 victory at the RBC Center after a game of many twists and turns.

Chad LaRose gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead, scoring on a breakaway with just 1:35 left in the third. But the Caps pulled goaltender Semyon Varlamov and tied the score with 9.5 seconds remaining on Eric Fehr's goal after the Canes' Brandon Sutter had blocked a shot.

"Brandon made a good play," Whitney said. "When it bounced to Fehr and it went in, I thought to myself, 'That's just the way things are for Washington this year.' Not so much us, but if you watch the way Washington has been all year they seem to come back no matter what."

But Whitney, surprisingly open in the slot, took a pass from Eric Staal and ripped a shot past Varlamov for the winner and his 21st goal of the season.

"The group keeps fighting hard, keeps fighting," Whitney said. "It's not necessarily the prettiest thing night-in and night-out, but it's never from a lack of effort.

"Right now, in the situation we're in, that's the best you can ask for."

The Hurricanes (29-33-8) have lost defenseman Tim Gleason to a broken bone in his right foot. Gleason was injured Saturday against the Phoenix Coyotes but played 18 minutes Tuesday in a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Canes coach Paul Maurice said Gleason may be would be sidelined three weeks.

Defenseman Alexandre Picard left Thursday's game after the second period with an upper-body injury and Maurice said his status is day-to-day.

The Canes traded defenseman Joe Corvo to the Caps on March 3 in a deal for defenseman Brian Pothier, prospect Oskar Osala and a second-round draft pick. And Corvo, in his return to the RBC Center, scored twice - 30 seconds into the second period and then on the power play with just 11.5 seconds left in the period.

Corvo's second goal gave the Caps a 2-1 lead, but the Canes tied it on a blast from the top of the right circle by defenseman Brett Carson with 7:16 left in regulation.

Staal's 5-on-3 power-play score early in the second had tied it 1-1.

LaRose then appeared to strike for the winner. On a 4-on-4 after the Canes' Tuomo Ruutu and the Caps' Tom Poti were sent to the penalty box - Ruutu for high-sticking, Poti for interference - LaRose shook free up the middle of the ice. Taking a pass from Jussi Jokinen, who had two assists, LaRose beat Varlamov for his sixth goal of the season and his 100th career point with the Hurricanes.

"It would have been a nice way to get it, being a game-winner against the top team in the league," Whitney said. "Just unlucky at the end."

But not unlucky in overtime. Whitney curled into the middle, expecting to be checked. Instead, Staal drew all the attention and Whitney had the open shot.

"He got a piece of it," Whitney said of Varlamov. "But it was just enough."

Justin Peters, making his seventh start in goal for the Canes, made 25 stops in earning his fifth victory, denying Corvo a hat trick in the overtime.

Ovechkin wasn't on the ice, but it still was a big test for the rookie.

"Take his [44] goals out and I think they're still leading the league in scoring," Maurice said of Ovechkin and the Caps. "They are a powerful team that has a lot of offense in their game."

But Peters made the big saves. The Canes battled. Whitney scored.

"I was able to stop a few in overtime and thankfully 'Whit' buried it," Peters said, smiling.

And the Caps.