Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2: Hurricanes fall 3-1 to Capitals in Game 2; series shifts to Raleigh
WASHINGTON (WTVD) -- The Carolina Hurricanes fell 3-1 to the Washington Capitals in Game 2 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Thursday night, leaving the series even.
After a slow first period, the Eastern Conference regular-season champion Capitals started to look more like themselves as the game wore on, dictating their style and not getting hemmed in their end for long stretches.
"It was much better, there's no doubt about that," coach Spencer Carbery said. "We feel like we can punch back."
Dominated by the Hurricanes in Game 1, Washington outlasted Carolina's puck possession start and took advantage of a fortunate break and a series of penalties.
Connor McMichael scored 2:15 into the second on a breakaway after an attempted dump-in by Sean Walker hit Hurricanes defense partner Shayne Gostisbehere in the face, slowing his ability to get back. Carlson fired a power-play goal into a wide-open net 1:54 into the third off a textbook cross-ice pass from Tom Wilson that Frederik Andersen had no realistic chance of stopping.
"The first game didn't go our way, weren't too happy with that. Got outplayed pretty bad there, so I think it was a really good response by our group," said McMichael. "We were moving pucks quicker. I think we weren't hanging onto it and looking for the perfect play. We were kind of just getting it out of our zone and forcing them to make plays."
At the other end of the ice, Logan Thompson made 26 saves for the Capitals, keeping up his stellar goaltending that helped them get past Montreal in five games in the first round. Chants of "LT! LT!" filled the arena just about every time Thompson made a stop and halted play.
"He kept us in the game," captain Alex Ovechkin said. "He gave us confidence."
Gostisbehere cut the deficit to 2-1 with 10:34 left in the final period on a power play, but despite a wave of attacks, the Hurricanes couldn't find the equalizer.
Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho assisted on the score.
"We weren't certainly great, that's for sure, and you've got to give Washington credit - they played a much better game," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "They dug in. We knew it was going to be like this. This is not surprising. Just got to regroup."
The Hurricanes got 18 saves from Andersen
The Capitals' Wilson scored an empty-net goal with 59 seconds left to seal the deal.
It was another tight, tense game following the Hurricanes' 2-1 overtime win Tuesday in Game 1.
Carolina, the last team this postseason to be perfect on the penalty kill, entering 17 for 17, had its streak broken on Carlson's goal.
The series shifts to Raleigh for games 3 and 4 of the series on Saturday and Monday.
Game 3 is 6 p.m. on Saturday at Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes won all three of their home games in the first round against New Jersey and 31 of 41 during the regular season.
NOTE: Video is from a previous report.
The Associated Press contributed.
Here's the schedule for Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2:
Game 1
Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m.
Washington
Capital One Arena
You can watch on ESPN or TVAS.
Game 2
Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m.
Washington
Capital One Arena
You can watch on ESPN or TVAS.
Game 3
Saturday, May 10 at 6 p.m.
Raleigh
Lenovo Center
You can watch on TNT, truTV, Max or SN, TVAS.
Game 4
Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m.
Raleigh
Lenovo Center
You can watch on TNT, truTV, Max or SN, TVAS.
(Potential) Game 5
Thursday, May 15 at TBD
Washington
Capital One Arena
You can watch on TNT, truTV, Max or TVAS
(Potential) Game 6
Saturday, May 17 at TBD
Raleigh
Lenovo Center
(Potential) Game 7
Monday, May 19 at TBD
Washington
Capital One Arena
You can watch on ESPN or TVAS
