Samsonov turned aside 17 of 20 shots in regulation and overtime and all three shootout attempts he faced in Friday's 4-3 win over the Hurricanes.
Washington out-shot Carolina 40-20 by the end of OT, but some defensive zone breakdowns and Samsonov's inability to come up with a big stop when he needed one kept the Capitals from putting the game away. Fortunately for them, Samsonov buckled down during the shootout. It's his first win in a month, and on the season his 2.95 GAA and .900 save percentage don't make a strong case for supplanting Vitek Vanecek at the top of the depth chart.