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Capitals Report Card: Caps Upset Hurricanes, Power Play Works
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- Capitals Report Card: Caps Upset Hurricanes, Power Play Works
James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Washington Capitals (8-7-1) get a much-needed win as they were on fire on Tuesday night. They took care of the rival Carolina Hurricanes (11-5-0) 4-1 on their home ice in Raleigh.
This game also served as revenge for the Capitals getting eliminated by Carolina in five in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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After dropping six of their last seven, the Capitals really came to life in the opening period with aggressive play.
Brandon Duhaime put the Capitals on board in the first, while Ryan Leonard added a tally of his own to make it 2-0 in the middle frame.
Up 2-1 in the third period, the Capitals' fourth power play of the game truly worked as Jakob Chychrun scored on a rebound to make it 3-1.
Alex Ovechkin sealed it with an empty-netter for his fourth goal of the season and career tally No. 901.
Next up for the Capitals is the final game of their four-game road trip. They will visit the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Thursday.
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Capitals Analysis
The Capitals had been struggling in six of their last seven contests and knew that Carolina wouldn't be easy. After all, they did sit atop the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division standings.
Nevertheless, the Capitals were aggressive in the opening period, as they showed in their first power play of the game. It didn't result in a goal, but the team generated chances.
One highlight of this game was the fourth line of Brandon Duhaime-Nic Dowd -Ethen Frank . The Capitals went up 1-0 when Dowd passed to Frank, who found Duhaime for a backdoor score.
The Capitals also dominated in shots, generated speed up ice, and were smart with the puck, looking like a completely different team.
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Both teams really got into it and dropped the gloves in the first period, showing no love lost in this rivalry.
The top line of Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome -Anthony Beauvilllier (aka the "Strovillier" line) also stepped up. In the second period, Ovechkin and Strome went on an odd man rush up ice as Strome netted one past Frederik Andersen to make it 2-0. This tally marked Strome's 399th career point.
Back to the power play, the Capitals' special teams in general was a massive improvement compared to recent showings. The penalty kill worked as they shut down all five of Carolina's man advantage opportunities.
Up 2-1 in the third, the Capitals went on their fourth power play, as Chychrun got a lucky bounce to make it 3-1. This marked Chychrun's 100th career goal.
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In the final minute, Ovechkin scored on an empty-netter for his fourth of the season and 901st of his illustrious career. The 40-year-old now has four multi-point games this year, tied for most on the team.
The defense also had a much stronger game as Declan Chisholm filled in for Trevor van Riemsdyk . Logan Thompson was also dominant between the pipes as he stopped 30 of 31 shots.
Capitals Report Card
Team: A
This was a much different Capitals team than what we saw these past couple weeks. Right from the get-go, they were aggressive and got revenge on rival Carolina for last year's playoffs.
Capitals Special Teams: A
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The special teams finally found its spark as both the power play and penalty kill stepped up. The team was aggressive on the man advantage with Chychrun scoring on their fourth opportunity. Meanwhile, the penalty kill prevented Carolina from scoring on all five of their power plays.
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Anthony Beauvillier : A
The "Strovillier" line has proven to be one of the best of the season. Strome and Ovechkin each found the net to lead the Capitals to victory. Among lines with at least 52 minutes, the "Strovillier" trio ranks second in the NHL among forward lines in expected-goals for percentage (70.8).
Brandon Duhaime-Nic Dowd-Ethen Frank: A
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The fourth line of Duhaime-Dowd-Frank continued where they left off against Tampa Bay. All three forwards accounted for the Capitals' first goal.
Logan Thompson: A
Thompson continues to be one of the best netminders in the league. He was incredible showing his quick reflexes and stopping rebounds that went his way. The 28-year-old finished with 30 saves as he improves to 6-4-0 on the year.
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