The Capitals and Hurricanes played in a frantic Friday night divisional game that had everything anyone could ask for. 

In the end, an Alex Ovechkin power play goal in the third period and shootout winner gave the Capitals a 4-3 win on the road in a game that seemingly went off the rails time and time again.

Washington is now 35-18-10 on the season. 

Here are a few takeaways from the night in Raleigh:

Overtime madness

The Capitals managed to tie the game late on an Ovechkin power play tally, and they dominated 3-on-3 overtime and drew a penalty to go to a 4-on-3 advantage. 

They couldn't convert, and took a penalty as time wound down after nearly winning the game time and time again in the extra period. 

Goaltender Ilya Samsonov was a brick wall in the shootout, and Ovechkin's backhand was the winner.

A bonkers first period

The first period in Carolina was one of the weirdest the Capitals played all season long. 

The Hurricanes started things by missing a wide open net after a weird bounce of the boards, then they took a 1-0 lead. The Capitals answered with a weird goal of their own, when Alex Ovechkin was hit up high by a Carolina hit, only to have the play seemingly stop. Evgeny Kuznetsov then fired a no-angle shot into the net to tie the game. 

Washington took a 2-1 lead when John Carlson's slap shot found the net as it carried a one-goal lead into the second. 

Samsonov starts in net

Samsonov got the start for the Capitals in net on the second half of a back-to-back in what very well could be his last start before the trade deadline. He made 17 saves on 20 Carolina shots in his first start since March 9 and just his second of the month.

The Capitals will play the Stars on Sunday in their last game before the trade deadline, and if Vitek Vanecek gets the start the evening, Samsonov's resume before the deadline will be complete. 

There have been rumors abound about the Capitals adding a veteran netminder, and general manager Brian MacLellan 

A physical night

From start to finish, the night was a massively physical one — and there were certainly some that were worse for wear after the game.

Nic Dowd made a hit in the early part of the game and missed time as he went to the dressing room. He returned, only to head back to the dressing room late in the game.

Later on in the night, Evgeny Kuznetsov took a hard hit behind the net and fell into the boards at an awkward angle. He was seen flexing his jaw after the hit, but remained in the game. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk also missed time after taking a hard hit into the Capitals' bench, too.

Oshie absent

The Capitals didn’t have winger T.J. Oshie in the lineup due to a lower-body injury, a worrying absence considering both Oshie’s impact on the lineup and his history this season. 

Oshie has played in just 28 of the team’s 63 games due to various ailments, and whenever Oshie isn’t in the lineup, the Capital miss him both on the ice and in the dressing room. 

There will be an update on Oshie’s status before Sunday’s game against the Stars after the team has an off day Saturday. With a few other injury updates needed, the Capitals' lineup decisions could become interesting once again.