Regular Season, Game 61: Hurricanes v. Washington Capitals

The 13-game home point streak will face a serious test as the Canes will return home to host the first of two very important Metropolitan Division games this weekend, starting with the Washington Capitals. This is the third meeting between the two teams, Washington winning both meetings thus far. They last met 15 days ago in D.C. and it was all Washington from puck drop. The Canes couldn't generate any offense against Vitek Vanecek and were shut out for the second time this season, 4-0. One big problem for the Canes that night was their inability to stay out of the box, taking six penalties and allowing two goals during those six kills. They didn't help Frederik Andersen out at all as he took the loss. Andersen was in the net for last night's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the score would indicate a one-goal loss, the late goal from Trocheck made it appear closer than it truly was in the third period. I thought the Canes played two good periods, but they entered the third down 2-0 and Toronto played their best period in the final 20 minutes. The Canes will turn to Antti Raanta to start tonight to set up Andersen against Igor Shesterkin when the Rangers come to town on Sunday. Jordan Martinook, who left the game last night with a scary-looking injury, has been placed on LTIR, paving the way for Seth Jarvis to re-enter the lineup. The lines are being thrown into a blender tonight. Trocheck is moving to the top line and Aho will be one of his wings, along with Turbo. Kotkaniemi will be the second-line center with Svech and Necas. The Canes have lost two straight and are at risk of a three-game losing for just the second time this season.

Washington, like Carolina, played last night and will have to travel to Raleigh for tonight's game. Their opponent last night was slightly easier and the Capitals decisively handled business. The Capitals picked up a 7-2 victory, led by Mantha's two goals and multi-point nights from Ovechkin, Backstrom, and Sheary. The win pushed Washington's win streak to three games, albeit against three teams outside of the playoff picture at the moment. Alex Ovechkin scored his 767th goal in their win over the Islanders on Tuesday night to pass Jaromir Jagr for third all-time in NHL history, then scored again last night to make it 768. He's two goals away from hitting 40 goals for the 12th time in his career. With Vanecek playing twice in three days and tonight being back-to-back, Ilya Samsonov gets the start. He has been historically great against the Canes in three career starts (3-0-0, .948/1.67), including the win in Raleigh in November. TJ Oshie will be out of the lineup tonight for the Caps with a lower-body injury. Despite both playing last night and Washington playing their third game in four days, I expect this to be just as heated as all of their meetings are. The playoff series in 2019 has seemed to bring the best out of each side and it makes for fun viewing. 

1st Period

Scoring

(CAR) 5:17- Seth Jarvis (9) (assisted by Steven Lorentz (5))

(WSH) 7:32- Evgeny Kuznetsov (21) (unassisted)

(WSH) 10:45- John Carlson (11) (assisted by Connor McMichael (9) & Garnett Hathaway (11))

Thoughts

I've never seen a monster truck rally, but I'd imagine it doesn't involve as much carnage as that first period did. There were 28 hits thrown in that period and they were almost all of the bone-crunching variety. Each team had their moments to lay out the other side and it was a mess. There were also some goals. Seth Jarvis returned to the lineup in style by scoring his first in 19 games. The Caps scored a weird one to tie it over two minutes later as Kuznetsov capitalized on everyone pretty much stopping because there was going to be a penalty on the Canes. Carlson gave the Caps the lead on a clapper that beat Raanta clean, which I'd imagine he'd like to have back. From there it felt like a melee. Nino got into it with the Caps' bench. Mantha took a stupid penalty when the Caps were going on the power play to even it up. Trocheck almost tied it during the second 4-on-4, but Samsonov made an unreal stop. Brendan Smith was especially noticeable throwing the body. Slavin drew a penalty late, so the Canes will have almost an entire power play to even things up. It's time for the power play to step up. 

2nd Period

Scoring

(CAR) 7:06 - Vincent Trocheck (17) (assisted by Ethan Bear (8))

(CAR) 19:57- Seth Jarvis (10) (assisted by Jordan Staal (15) & Andrei Svechnikov (31))

Thoughts

The Capitals still own the edge in the shot department, but the Canes have managed to take the lead by making the most of their limited chances. The pace of the period slowed down considerably, though there were some good hits sprinkled throughout the 20 minutes. It was almost 3-1 and the referee initially thought it was, but Sprong put a shot off the crossbar and right post and the score remained 2-1. Trocheck and Bear both stay hot as the latter finds the former all alone to tie the game at two before the midway point of the period. They killed off a penalty, though there was some serious confusion amongst the officials then as well. The period was almost over, but a great passing play from Svechnikov and Staal set up Jarvis for his second of the night with about 13 seconds left in the period to give the Canes the lead heading into the final period. I don't think this is even remotely close to over yet. The Capitals have way too much firepower for them to be done. I would imagine the third period will be similar to the first period with the Caps having to be the more desperate team. 

3rd Period

Scoring

(WSH) 14:56- Alex Ovechkin (39) PP (assisted by Nicklas Backstrom (18))

Thoughts

This one stings because the Canes were so close to finishing this game in regulation, but Trocheck takes a bad penalty, and Ovechkin scores four seconds later. The Canes had the Caps on the ropes but couldn't get the job done. Now it'll come down to three-on-three, but at least they have a point in the bank to extend their lead in the division for the time being. I liked the Canes' game in the period, but they couldn't beat Samsonov with anything good. They had their chances, but it wasn't enough to finish it in regulation. The physicality was back in the period for sure and Smith set the tone early with the hit on Kuznetsov and Stepan putting TVR into the bench. Time to show some guts and get this second point. 

Overtime

Scoring

None

Thoughts

The Caps controlled the puck for the entire overtime period and drew a penalty on Jarvis, but Antti Raanta came up huge to keep this even. The penalty on the Caps late allowed things to get back to even strength as the Canes go to a shootout for the second time this season. Not too much happening for the Canes in the period, so they're just lucky this didn't end in overtime. 

Shootout

1. (CAR)- Trocheck fumbled the puck and couldn't get anything good on the net

2. (WSH)- Kuznetsov rings the post on the blocker side of Raanta and it stays out

3. (CAR)- Svechnikov tries to go five-hole and is denied

4. (WSH)- Backstrom tries to slide it along the ice, but Raanta gets a pad on it

5. (CAR)- Jarvis is stopped with the glove of Samsonov

6. (WSH)- Ovechkin goes off the post on the backhand and in to win the game

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Brendan Smith- (5 Hits)

I thought he played really well against Toronto in his return to the lineup, but he was on something else tonight. This game was physical and Smith was right in the middle of it. His reverse hit on Wilson in the first and hit to the side of Kuznetsov to open the third period were especially notable. I liked his game tonight as he stepped up to the challenge. 

Second Star- Andrei Svechnikov (Assist)

After an uncharacteristically quiet game last night, Svech found his way back on the scoresheet tonight with an assist on the second Jarvis goal. He showed moments of the brilliance we're used to, even trying a lacrosse move tonight that came up just short. He also played the body a few times tonight to compliment his offensive game. 

First Star- Seth Jarvis (2 Goals)

It's been a while since Jarvis found the back of the net, so long that he felt the need to score twice and become the eighth Hurricane to crack double digits this season. This was his best game in 2022 by a mile, proving that break he had was worthwhile. He couldn't quite get it done in the shootout, but there's no denying how effective he was. 

Final Thoughts

This stings a little because the difference in the game was a bad penalty from Trocheck that leads to Ovechkin tying it. Washington isn't a team to give power play opportunities to with the best power play scorer of all-time. I thought the Canes were the second-best team on the ice tonight, but they still managed to get the point. Antti Raanta, after a shaky first period, was amazing in the final 45 minutes of the game, facing 40 shots before the shootout. The silver lining to this, despite dropping their third start decision, is that the home point streak remains intact and moves to 14 games, one shy of tying the franchise record. They'll be facing a Rangers team playing the second half of the back-to-back with travel on Sunday night. I hope we'll be getting an Andersen v. Shesterkin matchup on Sunday night, especially since I'll be at the game. The lead in the Metro grows to five points over the Penguins as the Capitals start to make a push for a top-three spot in the division. I didn't love the game tonight, but they managed a point, so I have no option but to live with it.