2023-24 Regular Season, Game 71: Hurricanes at Washington Capitals (Pregame)

Riding a big overtime victory over the Flyers last night, the Hurricanes will complete their second back-to-back in less than a week on Friday night in the U.S. capital. It was a tough battle in Raleigh on Thursday night, with Philadelphia in town for a potential playoff preview. The scoring didn't start until the second period. Jordan Martinook ripped one bar down from the slot on a 3-on-2 to get the Canes ahead. Scott Laughton responded 25 seconds later on a breakaway to immediately take the momentum back. Jalen Chatfield clapped one from inside the blue line in transition to beat Samuel Ersson past the midway point in the period to restore the Canes' one-goal lead. The Flyers completely outworked the Hurricanes in the third period, getting the tying goal from Travis Konecny, sending the game to overtime. The Canes dominated overtime. Less than 90 seconds into the extra frame, Seth Jarvis buried a 2-on-1 with Brent Burns, giving him goals in five straight to help the Canes take the second point. Frederik Andersen made 30 stops in the victory, helping the Canes match their longest win streak of the season.

The Opponent: Washington Capitals (33-26-9, 75 Points- 4th in the Metropolitan Division)

Last Meeting- After Washington won the first meeting of the season set in a shootout in Raleigh, the Hurricanes paid them a visit on January 5 to complete a three-game road trip. This game marked the NHL debut of Vasily Ponomarev and Dmitry Orlov's first game in Washington after being traded to Boston last season. Washington led the game 2-0 after 20 minutes on goals by Nic Dowd and Dylan Strome, who scored on the power play. Brent Burns got the Canes on the boards in the second period, but they still trailed 2-1 going into the third period. Ponomarev recorded his first NHL point by setting up Seth Jarvis early in the period, kicking off a dominant third period. Andrei Svechnikov gave the Canes their first lead on the power play, and Burns followed it up with a power-play tally of his own for his second goal of the night. Orlov added to an assist he'd already picked up by scoring into the empty net, making it 5-2. Ponomarev capped the game off by scoring his first career goal to clinch a 6-2 win for the Hurricanes. Sebastian Aho finished the night with three assists, while Burns also had himself a three-point night. 

Since We Last Met- I'm not quite sure how to make sense of the Capitals' season. After losing to the Canes in January, they went on a decent run, winning four of their next six games. Then, they looked like they were dead in the water. They lost six straight games and eight in nine as they sat six points outside of a playoff spot on February 16. They've gone 10-5-1 since that rough patch. When they win, it's usually because they're completely overwhelming their opponents. When they lose, they lose big. Since February 17, they've allowed seven or more goals in three of their six losses, including in their 7-3 loss to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday night at home. They're still one of the worst teams in the league on offense, and their defense is no better than average. Yet, they find themselves just four points back of the Flyers for third in the division and three back of the Red Wings for the second Wild Card spot with two games in hand on both teams. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Kuznetsov Returns to Washington

During their last visit, it was Dmitry Orlov making his return to D.C. Tonight, it'll be Evgeny Kuznetsov's turn. Kuznetsov's contributions to the Capitals organization can't be understated. He's Top 10 in assists and points and was deserving of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2018, leading the league in points during Washington's run to the Stanley Cup. While his exit was unceremonious, he's found a good landing spot in Raleigh with the Hurricanes. I'm sure a lot of the focus will be on him throughout the night, and the Washington faithful will likely welcome him back with open arms. If his return game is anything like Orlov's, it'll be a good night for the Hurricanes, too. 

2. Wilson in Big Trouble with the DoPS

While I'm not sure of Tom Wilson's status for this game as of Friday morning, it's very possible that the Capitals' tough guy won't be available for tonight's game. After a vicious high stick against Noah Gregor on Wednesday night, Wilson was offered an in-person hearing, meaning the potential suspension that could be handed down is able to be longer than five games. Wilson is a repeat offender, so the penalty could be pretty substantial. With uncertainty around whether TJ Oshie will be able to play after missing Wednesday's game, this could be a big loss for Washington as they fight for a playoff spot down the stretch. 

3. Ovechkin is Starting to Score

One of the biggest stories early in the season was Alex Ovechkin's long goalless drought. After coming to expect him to score 40 goals every season, it felt like nothing was finding the back of the net. Lately, he has refound his touch. Ovechkin has 15 goals in his last 22 games, including multi-goal efforts in Washington's last two games. He's tied Dylan Strome for the team lead with 23, giving 20+ goals for the 19th straight season. The 9x Rocket winner hasn't quite returned to his dominant form, but he's now only 50 goals away from breaking the all-time record. Washington is going to need him to be unreal in their final 14 games if they have any hope of shocking the hockey world by making the playoffs.