Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2: Canes beat Caps 2-1 in overtime, take Game 1
WASHINGTON (WTVD) -- The Carolina Hurricanes opened their second-round NHL Playoff series Tuesday night at Washington, and three periods weren't enough to decide the game.
Jaccob Slavin scored an unassisted goal at 3:06 of overtime to give the Canes a 2-1 win and the series lead. It was his second goal of the playoffs.
Frederik Andersen made 13 saves in his return from injury for Carolina.
The Capitals struck first with an Aliaksei Protas goal in the second period and maintained the lead until Logan Stankoven tied it up with a goal at 9:42 of the third period.
Stankoven beat goaltender Logan Thompson after Protas' errant pass off Washington teammate Alex Alexeyev's right skate put the puck on Jesperi Kotkaniemi's stick.
Neither team found the back of the net the rest of the way, and the game headed to overtime.
Andersen allowed only the goal to Protas in improving to 4-1 this postseason. Andersen was back after getting knocked out of Game 4 and missing Game 5 of the first round against New Jersey with an apparent head injury.
The opener showed just how evenly matched these rivals are - and how differently they like to play with the puck. The high-shot-volume Canes got 33 on net to the more selective Caps' 14 and spent far more time in the offensive zone, while pressuring and defending with the same style that has made each successful.
Carolina remains the only team perfect on the penalty kill this postseason, keeping Washington's power play off the board twice to improve to 17 of 17. That, along with Kotkaniemi and Stankoven taking advantage of a mistake and Slavin scoring with Seth Jarvis screening Thompson was the difference.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Washington before the series shifts to Raleigh. The Canes will host games 3 and 4 of the series on Saturday and Monday, as well as a potential game 6 on May 17, at the Lenovo Center.
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
