It’s no secret that this series was going to be quite a bit more challenging for the Washington Capitals than round 1. I just don’t think anyone expected that level of pain.
Tuesday night’s matchup between the Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes brought a lot of what was expected from a game between the two clubs, along with some things that were unexpected. The Hurricanes were expected to bring their furious brand of forechecking and their patented “fire everything you possibly can at the goalie” brand of hockey. Which they certainly did. What was unexpected was the relatively low level of pushback the Capitals gave them.
It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that the Capitals are on the wrong side of the Corsi stats. The key to this series was going to have to be Washington’s ability to cycle the puck and patiently wait for their chances to come. But this…this isn’t gonna cut it.
I don’t need to tell anyone who watched the game that the Caps were simply out of their element last night. After a series where they seemed to assert themselves quite often over their opponent, they met up with a more mature and frankly talented Carolina team that was ready for the Capitals, whereas Washington simply did not play well. Head Coach Spencer Carbery expressed his displeasure with the game in his post-game comments, as did the players.
So, what needs to change? Put simply, all of it.
Fundamentally, Washington needs to reassess how they’re going to play against the Hurricanes system, and get back to playing their own. A frantic forecheck like Carolina’s is designed to be overwhelming to some teams, but the Capitals’ are capable of weathering it. They’ve done it before in the regular season and in years past.
Throughout parts of Tuesday night, the Caps managed to play their game effectively. While yielding all of the low-danger shots and garbage at Logan Thompson might seem daunting, it is a side-effect of playing a team like Carolina. Washington managed to finish the first period with more high-danger chances than the Hurricanes. In the second period, this paid off in the form of an Aliaksei Protas goal; the only goal the Capitals managed to score on Frederik Andersen. Speaking of Andersen, his puck playing ability was on full display last night as well, as he was able to quickly turn a loose puck back down the ice for a quick Carolina counter-attack.
Despite gaining the lead in the second period, and as last night’s game progressed, it seemed clearer with each passing minute that the Capitals weren’t going to hold onto the lead until the end. So it came as no surprise when the Canes tied it up halfway through the third period. It also came as no surprise when the Canes won in overtime; the Caps managed only three shots on goal in the third period and none in overtime. Goals aren’t going to get scored unless you actually take shots at the opposing goalie.
A system like Carolina’s might be describable as “relentless” but it can also be beaten with solid defensive-zone pressure by Washington, along with a quick counter attack. But tenacity is the key word here: Washington will need to play with a greater level of grit and tenacity to break the Carolina forecheck and establish offensive zone pressure for themselves. If you want a good example of this, look at how Florida managed to sweep the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in 2023.
Carolina has been a thorn in the Capitals’ side for years now. But this is a Caps team that is talented and capable. With some retooling by Carbery, they can turn the series around.
We’ll see what they manage in Game 2 on Thursday.