Capitals vs. Hurricanes Game 1 Preview: Line Combinations, Stats, Storylines To Watch

Sammi Silber

May 6, 2025

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Sammi Silber

May 6, 2025

featured

The Capitals host the Hurricanes for Game 1 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Geoff Burke — Imagn Images)

WASHINGTON — For the first time in seven years, the Washington Capitals will play in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it’s quite the challenge as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Here’s everything to know before puck drop at Capital One Arena at 7 p.m.

Washington Capitals Line Combinations

The Capitals will stick with the same combinations from their Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens, with Aliaksei Protas still getting his legs back under him.

Logan Thompson starts.

Here are the combinations:

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Anthony Beauvillier

Connor McMichael-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Tom Wilson

Andrew Mangiapane-Lars Eller-Ryan Leonard

Brandon Duhaime-Nic Dowd-Aliaksei Protas

Rasmus Sandin-Matt Roy

Alex Alexeyev-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Logan Thompson

Charlie Lindgren

Washington Capitals Stats

- Dylan Strome leads the Capitals in scoring with nine points through five playoff games and also set up multiple game-winners in the opening round.

ARLINGTON, V.A. — For Dylan Strome, the Washington Capitals have come to mean just about everything.

thehockeynews.comThe Capitals Have Meant Everything To Dylan Strome, And Vice Versa. He's Taking Things To A Whole New Level In Playoffs: 'He Wants To Win So Badly'ARLINGTON, V.A. — For Dylan Strome, the Washington Capitals have come to mean just about everything.

- Alex Ovechkin has a team-leading four goals through the first five games of the playoffs.

- Tom Wilson, Anthony Beauvillier and Connor McMichael are each producing at a point-per-game pace.

Washington Capitals Storylines

- Look out for Brandon Duhaime. The 27-year-old has three goals in his last two games and leads the team with 20 hits this postseason.

ARLINGTON, V.A. — Over a handful of weeks in the summer, the Washington Capitals made quite the statement, overturning a third of the roster with an on-the-fly retool. Among the big-name acquisitions like Jakob Cychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Logan Thompson, Washington made a quiet depth deal, inking Brandon Duhaime to a two-year deal to help fill the void on the bottom-6.

thehockeynews.comThe Capitals Needed An Unsung Hero Entering The Stanley Cup Playoffs. Enter Brandon Duhaime: 'He's The Life Of The Room'ARLINGTON, V.A. — Over a handful of weeks in the summer, the Washington Capitals made quite the statement, overturning a third of the roster with an on-the-fly retool. Among the big-name acquisitions like Jakob Cychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Logan Thompson, Washington made a quiet depth deal, inking Brandon Duhaime to a two-year deal to help fill the void on the bottom-6.

- Also watch for Andrew Mangiapane and the third line, as that trio has been generating multiple chances and is overdue for a point.

- Keep an eye on Aliaksei Protas as he continues to get back the rhythm following his skate cut injury. Washington plans to utilize him in multiple positions this round.

Game Day