The Caps dropped the Canes in a lopsided series opener, but Saturday’s day game promises to be a big one. Watch out for Andrei Svechnikov, and a newly cranky Justin Williams.
Here’s your open thread for reactions, rage, and revelry. Go buckwild in the comments.
By Peter Hassett 7 days ago
The NHL department of player safety has announced that Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov has been suspended one playoff game for boarding Columbus defender Markus Nutivaara.
By Peter Hassett 7 days ago
The Washington Capitals took Game One on home ice, but it wasn’t flawless. The Caps took and held an early lead but were on their heels for long stretches of it. Things got pretty hairy in the third period. If the Hurricanes get as much offense as they had in Game One, this is gonna be an interesting day.
And the day part matters. It’s a dreaded day game with puck drop at 3:00 PM. It’s on NBC, and I’m sorry about that. You can stream it using the My Teams app if you are at your niece’s volleyball game or friend’s going-away party. Peter’s got recap duty, so please nice to him because he’s fragile.
By Peter Hassett 7 days ago
Ah, the loffs. My old friend. We only see each other but once a year, and by the time he leaves me my apartment’s a mess, my body is a dumpster, and my mind is on the very edge of insanity. I love my friend, the loffs, so hard.
Game One between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes was, um, everything. There was violence, then an explosion of goals, then a tense detente, then a defensive collapse, and oh god are we going to do this all the way into June again?
So here’s how it went. The Caps got stymied for ten minutes, but Nicklas Backstrom broke through right after that, besting Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek on the second shot of the night. Backstrom struck again with a power-play layup assisted by Evgeny Kuznetsov, then Alex Ovechkin added a power-play goal of his own before the first intermission.
After a scoreless second period, rookie Andrei Svechnikov changed the game with two goals to snap the shutout and then make it a one-goal game. For a long while it was agonizingly tight, and then Lars Eller secured the empty-netter to put this one in the books.
Caps win 4-2! Caps lead the series 1-0.
By Peter Hassett 1 week ago
Friends, it’s on. We’re here. This is it. The loffs start right now with Caps vs Canes, Game One. Elyse has delicately prepared your pregame, and here is your open thread for reactions, rage, and revelry. Plus assorted stuff if we have time.
By Peter Hassett 1 week ago
The Carolina Hurricanes have been sent up to Washington, DC to face the Capitals in Game One of their Stanley Cup Playoff Series. The Capitals and the Hurricanes have never faced each other in the playoffs. The Capitals swept the Canes this year in all four games, and currently have a total record against them of 86-62-12. Fingers crossed that the home ice advantage will give the Capitals the first win of the series.
Everything is happening so much and so fast. Let’s go Caps.
Puck drop is at 7:30 PM, and you can stream the game using the My Teams app. After the game, we’ll have a complete recap for you.
By Peter Hassett 1 week ago
Welcome, everyone, to the very best couple weeks in hockey. Eight series of sixteen teams going bananas buckwilderness on one another while we watch in delight.
It is time of predictions. It is the time of Keith, a Coin
By Peter Hassett and Ian Oland 1 week ago
The Washington Capitals have drawn as their first-round opponent maybe the most compelling and misunderstood team in the NHL. Returning to the postseason for the first time in a decade, the Carolina Hurricanes are a calculating, analytically-driven team who has also been irrepressibly fun to watch. They’re a mishmash of veterans and rookies, of stalwarts and castoffs — who have all somehow found synergy and success playing next to each other.
Also, they’re a very real threat to the Washington Capitals.
By Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago
Though it was close, no one in the NHL scored as many goals as Alex Ovechkin this season. With 51 goals, his highest total in five years, Ovechkin wins the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. It’s his 8th time doing so.
By Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago
Connor McDavid, the world’s best hockey player, has been injured in the final game of the season.
By Peter Hassett 2 weeks ago
