Regular Season, Game 66: Hurricanes at Washington Capitals

There are a handful of opponents this season that has given the Canes fits and there is no more frustrating team based on the season series than tonight's opponents, the Washington Capitals. This is the third meeting in the last 25 days and the fourth, and final, for the season. The Canes have dropped both decisions this month, losing to both of Washington's goalies. They were embarrassed in a 4-0 loss in Washington at the beginning of the month at the hands of Vitek Vanecek. The loss in Raleigh ten days ago has a little bit of controversy surrounding it. Vincent Trocheck took an interference penalty on Garnett Hathaway with 5:08 left in the third period and the Canes leading 3-2. Washington would then score four seconds later to tie it, then win the game in a shootout. The league, a few days later, fined Hathaway for embellishment and acknowledged it should've been 4-on-4. I'm not sure if that would've made a huge difference, but it's too late to change it now. The Canes took out some frustration on the St. Louis Blues Saturday night, putting up seven goals, including three in each of the final two periods, to win 7-2. Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and seven different players had multi-point nights in front of Antti Raanta, who played well. Frederik Andersen, who has played all three games against Washington, will start again tonight after last playing in Thursday night's loss to Dallas in a shootout. Ethan Bear seems to have a lower-body injury, so Brendan Smith might be hopping back in, but the forward group should remain the same. 

Washington comes into tonight's game after back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday over Buffalo and New Jersey, both by a score of 4-3. Alex Ovechkin scored his 42nd goal of the season and both John Carlson and Nicklas Backstrom recorded two points in the win. Vitek Vanecek stopped 35 shots in the win against the Devils and he'll be in the net again tonight. Washington occupies the second Wild Card spot right now, three points behind Toronto for the first spot and five points behind the Rangers for third in the division. They aren't at any risk of missing the playoffs with the Eastern Conference set outside of positioning. They remain a team that relies on their top six to produce at a high level and they've continued to get that this season. Ovechkin's 42 goals are the fourth-most in the league and his 78 points have him just outside the top ten. After Kuznetsov, Wilson, and Carlson, there is a steep drop in point production from the rest of their team. It helps to have 19 players with over ten points and seven players with double-digit goals to compliment a solid goaltending duo. For context, the Canes have ten plays with ten or more goals and also have 19 players with ten or more points. There is going to be a lot of emotion in this game, as there always is. Washington isn't a fun place for an opposing team to play, so the Canes need to buckle up for a wild one tonight. 

1st Period

Scoring

(CAR) 2:41- Derek Stepan (8) (assisted by Jesperi Kotkaniemi (15) & Max Domi (24))

(CAR) 7:47- Martin Necas (12) (assisted by Vincent Trocheck (27) & Andrei Svechnikov (33))

Thoughts

I think this may be the best period the Canes have played against the Caps so far this season. The fourth line opens the scoring after Kotkaniemi's pass finds Stepan with a lot of space and he buries it to officially give Max Domi his first point with the team. Just over five minutes later, Martin Necas received a great feed from Vincent Trocheck after Andrei Svechnikov put one on Vanecek to make it 2-0. Each team only had 47 seconds on the power play and while Ovechkin did technically get the puck past Andersen, the whistle had blown to call the penalty on Oshie, meaning neither team took advantage of being a man-up. I thought the Canes did a good job of defending in front of Andersen and not allowing much to get through. Most of the period was spent in front of the Washington goal, so they didn't get much of an opportunity to find their game. They are going to need 40 more minutes of this, but the next 20 is going to be especially crucial. 

2nd Period

Scoring

(WSH) 6:47- Tom Wilson (21) (unassisted)

(CAR) 8:35- Sebastian Aho (29) SH (assisted by Teuvo Teravainen (36) & Ian Cole (15))

(CAR) 10:38- Brett Pesce (7) (assisted by Teuvo Teravainen (37) & Brady Skjei (21))

(CAR) 15:39- Martin Necas (13) (assisted by Max Domi (25) & Jaccob Slavin (31))

Thoughts

The beginning of the period was very reminiscent of the second period in the game against St. Louis. The Canes take an early penalty and while they kill it, Wilson scores right after it ends to make it a 2-1 game. Then, Domi takes a penalty, albeit a very soft one, and the momentum is back on the side of Washington. Cue Sebastian Aho and the kill scoring a short-handed goal for the second game in a row to effectively halt the switch and take the reins again. Then, Pesce scores to make it 4-1 and Necas to make it 5-1 and the building is almost completely out of it. Teravainen picked up two assists in the period and Domi collected his second point of the night as Necas enters "Hat Trick Watch" with a full 20 minutes left. Andersen made some huge saves to keep the multi-goal lead intact and prevent any more momentum shifts. Still a period left, but you have to like where the Canes are right now.  

3rd Period

Scoring

(CAR) 9:57- Brady Skjei (8) (assisted by Martin Necas (22) & Vincent Trocheck (28))

Thoughts

This wasn't a very high-event period. We had a fight between Wilson and Smith after Wilson took a stupid unsportsmanlike penalty trying to fight him earlier in the period. Brady Skjei scored shortly after to give Canes the touchdown before the extra point attempt on Ilya Samsonov, who entered to begin the period. Andersen made some saves to keep the Caps off the board and things were looking like smooth sailing to the end. Then Lars Eller decides to be a hero and blindside Kotkaniemi with 1.8 seconds left and KK had to be helped to the locker room. It deflated what should've been a huge win and made you feel icky about what you'd just seen. It was clean by the standards of the rules, but KK never saw it coming and it looked way worse. It didn't need to happen, but it did and the Caps will go home losing. 

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Brady Skjei (Goal, Assist)

It's a couple days late, but Skjei celebrates his second game a year older with two more points to add to his stellar 2022. His late goal was to add insult to injury, but he made some key plays earlier in the game to help create the Pesce goal and sat Ovechkin down on a chance in the second period. He didn't have to play much tonight, but was good when he did.

Second Star- Max Domi (2 Assists)

When you have a point taken away from you, the only correct response is to score twice and leave no doubt. This was Domi's best in his three games with the team. He helped start the play to open the scoring early in the first period, then made a beautiful pass to Necas to set up his second goal late in the second. His decision-making was really good tonight as he continues to get acclimated to the system.

First Star- Martin Necas (2 Goals, Assist)

I swear he took all the talk personally and is making everyone eat their words with his play lately. After a two-point night in St. Louis, Necas followed it up with three more, including two huge goals. He received some great passes and buried his chances. Going into Tampa Bay, a team he's been good against, I'm looking for him to add to his solid numbers against the defending champs. 

Final Thoughts

The Eller hit at the end aside, this was an excellent effort from the Hurricanes for the second game of this road trip. They've guaranteed a winning record on this short trip and earned a measure of revenge against a team they haven't been able to beat this year. 12 different players found the scoresheet tonight, with Necas, Skjei, Domi, Trocheck, and Teravainen all recording multiple points. Sebastian Aho tied Rod Brind'Amour with his 174th goal as a Hurricane, tying him for fourth in franchise history. Frederik Andersen has a sneaky good game as the offense was the major story again tonight, stopping 25 shots to earn another win. They've scored 13 goals in their last two games against two playoff teams. The offense is starting to make up for its struggles over the last few weeks. The penalty kill was perfect again tonight, taking out a major source of why Washington had been successful in the first three meetings. No rest for the weary as the team will hop on a plane to go to Tampa Bay for another game tomorrow night. I'd expect Antti Raanta to get the start with Andersen playing tonight. It was a huge win at an important time of the season with the 100-point plateau growing nearer. This is one of those games to be proud of for sure as they try to carry this momentum into Tampa Bay.