Tonight’s a measuring-stick game. One that could define the Washington Capitals’ season, especially after they have lost 6 of their last 7 games.
Tonight, they face the Carolina Hurricanes, arguably one of the league’s best teams and the Caps’ second-biggest rival, in Raleigh. The last time the Caps saw the Hurricanes, the Canes had mollywhopped them in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Then, Eric Tulsky added insult to injury by stealing their mans during free agency.
Carolina has won four in a row coming into tonight’s game and are 5-1-0 at home. The Capitals will need another sterling performance from early-season Vezina Trophy candidate Logan Thompson. The team will also need to get something from their middle six, which has struggled all season long. Declan Chisholm will jump into the lineup for Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Puck drop for tonight’s game is shortly after 7:00 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes
Tunnel Soccer shenanigans
Ok, here’s the Tunnel Gang
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Protas-McMichael-Wilson and Chychrun-Roy get the start.
Hurricanes already dominating on the first shift.
Ethen Frank draws a penalty with his speed on K’Andre Miller 0:55 seconds in. Caps go to their first power play.
Frank and Ryan Leonard getting a lot of power play time on the Caps’ first man advantage opportunity, and the unit looks way better. Didn’t score but a few good opportunities. Nice to see.
Caps are 1 for their last 21 on the power play.
Ethen Frank sets up Brandon Duhaime for the Capitals’ first goal of the night. Frank also drew a power play earlier in the period. This is the guy who was a game-changer in Hershey.
1-0 Washington Capitals
Goal: Brandon Duhaime (2). Assists: E. Frank (3), N. Dowd (4). Time: 5:42
The Capitals are dominating the first 9 minutes of the game.
Mike Reilly to the box for tripping Jakob Chychrun at 12:34 Caps go to their second power play of the night.
Wilson has a chance outside the crease, but hits the post. Ovechkin gets the rebound but then lifts the rebound off the ice from the other side of the net.
Nic Dowd crashes into Frederik Andersen behind the net. Looks like Andersen dove though. A huge line brawl breaks out. Martin Fehervary fights and is bleeding. We nearly had another goalie fight again. Penalties being doles out at the 15:00 mark.
Logan Thompson and Frederik Andersen nearly get in goalie fight during Capitals-Hurricanes fracas
Somehow the Hurricanes got a power play out of this even though things got out of control because Andersen dove then left his crease to go after Dowd.
Hurricanes get a 2-second 5-on-3 power play after Connor McMichael hooks Jackson Blake at 16:58.
At the buzzer, the Capitals look like a totally different team in the best possible way.
At intermission: The Capitals lead 1-0. They’re outshooting Carolina 10 to 7.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Jordan Staal with a chance 7 seconds after the opening faceoff.
Jakob Chychrun with a tough holding penalty at 1:33. Canes back to the power play.
Caps kill power play.
Thompson with a huge glove save on Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Ovechkin brilliantly sets up Strome on a semi-breakaway.
2-0 Washington Capitals
Goal: Dylan Strome (5). Assists: A. Ovechkin (8), J. Carlson (8). Time: 5:59
Ryan Leonard draws a hooking penalty on Sean Walker at 10:27.
Of course Ehlers scores tonight. He found a rebound at the far post and buried it.
2-1 Washington Capitals
Goal: Nikolaj Ehlers (3). Assists: J. Blake (8), S. Gostisbehere (7). Time: 13:56
At intermission: The Capitals lead 2-1. Carolina is now outshooting them 21 to 18. Big third period upcoming.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
K’Andre Miller to the box for tripping Connor McMichael at 5:11.
Andersen robs Tom Wilson right off the faceoff.
A power-play goal? In this economy?
3-1 Washington Capitals
PPG: Jakob Chychrun (4). Assists: R. Leonard (5), J. Carlson (9). Time: 5:46
That was Jakob Chychrun’s 100th career goal. Congrats, Florida Man!
Connor McMichael prevents a Hurricanes goal. Brilliant play there.
Rasmus Sandin to the box for hooking at 8:13.
John Carlson draws a penalty while going for a shorthanded breakaway, which cool, great but, as I said on X:
I wish I could edit it and add IN THE THIRD PERIOD.
Frederik Andersen gets crashed into and he’s in pain. Whistle is blown dead for the trainer to look at him.
Pyotr Kochetkov replaces Andersen in net with 5:02 remaining.
Hurricanes putting a ton of pressure on the Caps. “They need to weather the storm,” Craig Laughlin said, pun, I think unintended there. lmao.
Chychrun takes a terrible cross-checking penalty at 16:38. This is a huge penalty kill.
Alex Ovechkin career goal no. 901!
4-1 Washington Capitals
ENG: Alex Ovechkin (4). Assists: A. Beauvillier (2). Time: 19:29
Alex Ovechkin scores 901st career goal on empty net from 143 feet away
Capitals win 4-1. Huge win. Hurricanes outshoot Caps 31-28.
Caps beat Canes 4-1, but more importantly they scored a power-play goal
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