Oh, hi! It’s you, again. Look, my nerves are a little iffy about tonight and I’ll explain why.
Tonight may very well be the Washington Capitals’ most important game of the 2024-25 season — and maybe over the last 7 years. Crazy, I know. But hear me out. While MoneyPuck may not believe in the Caps, I do. I think this team can win the Stanley Cup. But just like in 2018, they need to get past their division rival in the second round.
The Hurricanes currently lead the series 2-1 and with a victory tonight in Game 4, the Capitals’ summer may begin earlier than we all had hoped.
With that in mind, Spencer Carbery made a few small changes to the lineup. Ryan Leonard is back in for Taylor Raddysh. Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas switched spots while Rasmus Sandin and Jakob Chychrun did the same on D.
Puck drop for Game 4 is at 7:00 pm on TNT. Let’s go Caps!
Lines
Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Connor McMichael turned away on a semi-breakaway 40 seconds into the game.
Aliaksei Protas beats Andersen clean but his shot rings hard off the post. A fast start for the Capitals, but these are two huge chances they didn’t convert on, similar to Game 3.
Alex Ovechkin is looking at an iPad intensely after a play goes awry.
Jordan Staal gets three chances right in front of the net, but Logan Thompson stands strong.
🚨 1-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Shanye Gotisbehere (3). Assists: J. Kotkaniemi (3), E. Robinson (2). Time: 10:24.
Gotisbehere with some great stickhandling at the blue line to create. He eventually releases a shot at the top of the left circle and beats Thompson. The Caps netminder was screened in front and tried to anticipate where the puck was going. He guessed wrong.
Andrei Svechnikov with a big hit on Pierre-Luc Dubois. PLD responds with a huge slash to his ankles. Down the other way, he bumps Matt Roy and things get a little chippy.
Seth Jarvis to the box for roughing Roy at 12:20.
Caps power play.
So far, the Caps are dumping and not chasing on the power play. Interesting strategy.
Canes kill power play.
Jakob Chychrun high-sticked in the mouth by Jordan Martinook at 16:24. It’s a double minute. Huge moment in the game here.
Caps power play.
Huge hit by Ovechkin on Seth Jarvis at the Canes forward clears the puck out of the zone.
Frustration is building with the Caps lack of success on the PP. Dylan Strome reportedly broke his stick when he returned to the bench.
Huge save by Thompson on a two-on-one shorthanded break by the Hurricanes. That was the best chance of the Caps PP. Yikes.
At intermission: The Hurricanes outshot the Caps 13 to 8 and are out-attempting the Caps at five-on-five 22 to 16.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Canes kill power play.
🚨 2-0 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Seth Jarvis (3). Assists: S. Aho (7), D. Orlov (4). Time: 01:05.
Aho’s shot deflects off the crossbar, Seth Jarvis scores at the far post on the rebound. That’s one that Thompson is going to want back.
Alex Ovechkin sets up Dylan Strome at the right circle wide open, but Andersen slides over to make the save with his left pad.
The Caps just look defeated right now.
Aho stopped on a huge one-timer at the top of the circles. This game feels like it’s teetering the wrong way. Caps need a big play to turn momentum.
Around the 10 minute mark, the Caps first line had about a minute long shift in the zone. First time all night Capitals have had sustained pressure.
“It’s a battle of wills right now,” Rod Brind’Amour says during the TV timeout to TNT.
Brandon Duhaime, on a two-on-one sorta, rips a shot from the left side but Andersen makes the blocker side.
Beauvillier with some speed down the wing. That’s a scoring chance. Caps starting to put some shifts back-to-back here. That’s how bad it’s been. That that feels special.
Ovi to the box for tripping at 17:39. After the whistle, we got some mucking of it up. Strome to the box for roughing while Carrier is to the box for yelling at the Caps to punch him, if I’m reading lips right lmao.
Canes power play.
Caps kill power play.
At intermission: Hurricanes lead the Caps 2-0. They’re outshooting the Capitals 25 to 15 and out-attempting them at five-on-five 40 to 34. Caps have not scored in the last five periods on Andersen.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 2-1 Carolina Hurricanes. WSH Goal: Jakob Chychrun (3). Assists: M. Roy (2), P. Dubois (3). Time: 05:18.
Matt Roy of all people sets up Jakob Chychrun near the net for a layup. Roy held the puck near the left post, allowing Chychrun to pinch in and score from the low right circle. Huge moment.
Andrei Svechnikov off the post. This game is moving fast now.
🚨 3-1 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Taylor Hall (2). Assists: J. Roslovic (3), S. Walker (1). Time: 08:24.
Uhhhh. Caps defense? Hello? What are we doing here?
Taylor Hall to the box for tripping at 11:14.
Caps power play. The Caps are 0 for 3 tonight and only have 1 shot.
Dmitry Orlov takes an interference penalty on Tom Wilson giving the Capitals a 5-on-3.
Caps 5-on-3 power play for 1:18.
🚨 3-2 Carolina Hurricanes. WSH PPG: Alex Ovechkin (5). Assists: D. Strome (9), J. Chychrun (2). Time: 12:14.
Ovi’s first of the series, a one-timer from the top of the left circle. Orlov bowed his head in the penalty box. Ovi appeared to hit the post on his two shots before. Legendary.
Caps now have a 5-on 4 power play for 1:35.
Two-on-one break for the Canes at the Caps other end. Another big save by Thompson.
Canes kill the 5-on-4 power play.
PLD to the box for holding at 14:26.
Canes power play.
Canes are very timid here.
Caps kill power play.
🚨 4-2 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR Goal: Sean Walker (1). Assists: T. Hall (4). Time: 16:45.
Rasmus Sandin’s stick got stuck in the boards giving Carolina an odd man break. Walker with some great patience scores near the crease. Logan Thompson could be seen cursing with Jakob Chychrun on the telecast.
🚨 5-2 Carolina Hurricanes. CAR ENG: Andrei Svechnikov (7). Assists: J. Martinook (4), J. Staal (1). Time: 17:39.
Caps take delay of game penalty at 18:03.
Canes power play.
Hurricanes win 5-2. The Capitals are facing elimination in Game 5 at Capital One Arena.
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