Hurricanes blow past Caps 5-2 to take commanding 3-1 series lead
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Carolina Hurricanes blew past the Washington Capitals on Monday night in a 5-2 victory that sent the Canes within a game of winning their second-round NHL playoffs series.
Goals by Shayne Gostisbehere, Seth Jarvis and Taylor Hall gave the Hurricanes a 3-1 series lead after Game 4.
"If I'm just honest with how I feel about it, I thought our first two games (on the road) might've been better than some of these games - just the chances we've given up, a little too much here for me," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "But obviously at this time of year, it's about results. I like where we're at, that's for sure."
The Capitals, shut out through two periods, didn't go quietly. Third-period scores by Jakob Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin on a power play made it 3-2 and set up a tense final seven minutes.
The Hurricanes responded with a fury, though as Sean Walker slammed home the team's fourth goal of the night with 3:15 left. Moments later, Andrei Svechnikov blasted home an empty-netter for the final goal that sent the Lenovo Center crowd into relieved delirium.
Walker's score came after Hall flipped a pass to Walker to surge up the left side, then he hesitated to cut inside behind Jack Roslovic to score at the 16:45 mark to push the lead back to 4-2.
"I think as a whole, we kind of kept our composure," Walker said. "Didn't really panic, just stuck to our systems."
Svechnikov followed with his seventh postseason goal shortly after the Capitals pulled Logan Thompson, the capper on a night when Carolina twice led by two goals but had to hold on in a tense finish down the stretch.
Frederik Andersen, who had kept the Capitals scoreless for five periods going back to Game 3, finished with 19 saves.
Ovechkin's blast got the NHL's career goals leader on the scoresheet for the first time in the series. Thompson finished with 32 saves.
"We're giving ourselves some opportunities, we're just not executing, making the play, whatever you want to call it," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "And making some mistakes - and they're capitalizing."
Washington managed just one shot on goal during a 4-minute power play, the first 3 1/2 minutes of those coming to close the first period.
"Their penalty kill is excellent, best in the league, has been for the last, whatever, five years, call it," Carbery said. "But it can't look like that. It cannot look like that."
The Hurricanes can clinch the series on Thursday night in Game 5 at Washington. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. The Hurricanes are aiming for a second trip to the conference final in three seasons.
The Associated Press contributed.
Video is from a previous report.
