WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes needed overtime to decide a low-scoring affair in Game 1 of their second-round series.
Though both teams struggled to find goals in regulation, ending the third period tied 1-1, the Hurricanes didn’t need long in sudden death to steal the win. After Logan Stankoven tied the game for Carolina midway through the third period, Jaccob Slavin played the hero just over three minutes into the extra frame, beating Logan Thompson with a long-distance shot.
Former Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov helped set up the play, passing the puck to Jordan Martinook behind the net before it reached Slavin at the blue line. Slavin sent a seeing-eye puck through a maze of Capitals and Hurricanes players and under Thompson’s right pad to propel Carolina to victory.
The shot might not have looked dangerous at first glance, but Carolina’s rapid-fire approach paid off when it mattered. The Hurricanes outshot the Capitals 33-14 Tuesday night, and they out-attempted the Caps at all strengths a whopping 94-34, per Natural Stat Trick.
Asked about Slavin shooting through so much traffic, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour quipped, “Well, he’s open. He’s not gonna not shoot it.”
Brind’Amour went on to praise Washington’s defensive efforts, noting that the Caps kept the Canes from earning more obviously dangerous opportunities.
“We got some traffic,” he said. “I don’t know how many shot blocks they had, they had a lot of blocks tonight. Now that’s why they’re a good team. They’re one of the best because they’re willing to do that.
“You have to know that going in. And you have to also not be deterred by that and keep putting it there. They’re not giving you much of anything else. Obviously, it wasn’t the greatest of goals, but they all count.”
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery, meanwhile, criticized his team’s inability to gain control during overtime, when they failed to register a single shot.
“The first four shifts, we couldn’t get on their half,” he said. “You’re back on your heels, D-zone start, D-zone start, D-zone start. They throw a puck to the net and it goes in.”
The Hurricanes may have dominated in overtime, but that didn’t mean they were expecting the game-winner. Jesperi Kotkaniemi learned his team had won the game only when he saw the referee signal the goal.
“No one had no idea what’s going on there, and when you saw the ref going like this behind the net, and that started the celebration there.”
Even Slavin himself was surprised — with so many players between him and the net, he, too, didn’t even realize the puck had gone in.
“The puck came out to me at the point there and I was just trying to get it to the net,” he said postgame. “I knew we had some numbers at the net, and I didn’t know it went in until I saw Jordan Staal, Staalsie, coming with his arms up yelling at me. So, that’s huge win as a team.”
The Capitals and Hurricanes will have a day to prepare before facing off again for Game 2. Carolina’s comeback win wasn’t how the Caps wanted to start the series, but they’re confident they can put it behind them by Thursday night.
“There’s enough experience in this group,” Tom Wilson said postgame. “It’s one game. I don’t think anyone expected the playoffs just to be a straight line of ups. There’s going to be ups and downs. The next game’s the biggest game.”
