The Capitals announced on Friday morning that they have recalled forward Paul Carey from AHL affiliate Hershey Bears. Carey has had an exceptional week in Hershey, scoring four goals on March 18 vs the Hartford Wolf Pack. That game helped earn him the title of AHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 19. Carey has played in four games this year for the Caps. He scored his first NHL goal on February 6.

The move is likely to provide backup to the team in case of injury. The Caps play Arizona at home on Saturday night before leaving on a road trip next week to play in Minnesota, Colorado, and Arizona.

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The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Paul Carey from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today

Carey, 28, made his 2016-17 season debut with the Capitals on Nov. 20 against Columbus and skated in four games with Washington this season. The 6’1”, 198-pound forward appeared in four games with the Capitals last season and scored the game-tying goal in the third period on Feb. 6 at New Jersey, marking his first NHL goal. Carey was selected by Colorado in the fifth round, 135th overall, in the 2007 NHL Draft and has registered two points (1g, 1a) in 30 career NHL games with Colorado and Washington.

Carey has registered 55 points (24g, 31a) in 55 games with the Hershey Bears this season and ranks tied for first on the team in goals, third in points and fourth in assists. He scored a career-high four goals on March 18 against Hartford and was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 19. In addition, Carey recorded a 19-game point streak from Oct. 26 to Dec. 26 (8g, 14a), marking the longest point streak in the AHL this season and tied for the third-longest point streak in Hershey history. Only Alexandre Giroux (2008-09: 23) and Wes Jarvis (1981-82: 20) recorded longer points streaks for the Bears. The Boston native has earned 182 points (79g, 103a) in 287 career AHL games with Lake Erie, Providence and Hershey.