The Captials couldn't weather the storm in Game 1. (Geoff Burke — Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/63f22334-89d6-4309-9a93-e7ff70235d00.jpeg] The Captials couldn't weather the storm in Game 1. (Geoff Burke — Imagn Images) WASHINGTON — To open the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Washington Capitals found themselves just weathering the storm as best as they could against the Carolina Hurricanes. And though they went the distance, it wasn't enough. The Capitals did what they could, but fell 2-1 in overitme. Here are all the takeaways from Game 1. HURRICANES HEAVILY TILT ICE, THOMPSON DOES WHAT HE CAN The Capitals knew that the Hurricanes would come in piling on the shots and getting everything on net. And that's exactly what happened, and next game, D.C. needs to be better prepared for it. Carolina spent the majority of time in the offensive zone, made great tape-to-tape passes and kept the pressure up. Logan Thompson did what he could to bail out his group, but it was only a matter of time before things were tied up, as Logan Stankoven evened the score in the third after an errant pass went off Alex Alexeyev's skate and to the slot. The Hurricanes ultimately outshot the Capitals 33-14, and Washington couldn't do much when it came to getting set up or effectively entering the offensive zone. Jaccob Slavin won the game in OT. PROTAS OPENS SCORING, MOVES UP AS CAPITALS CRAVE OFFENSE The Capitals needed a player to step up and set the tone, and that was Aliaksei Protas. Still getting back in the rhythm after returning from a scary skate cut to the foot, Protas started on the fourth line with Nic Dowd and Brandon Duhaime and made the most of the opportunity. Protas opened the scoring, carrying the puck up for an odd-man rush and calling his own number after Brandon Duhaime won a puck battle in the defensive zone to make it 1-0. The 23-year-old got more and more responsibility as the game went on, moving up and down the lineup to get more minutes and logging time on the penalty kill as well. Though Protas got Washington going, the team failed to capitalize on the turn in momentum, unable to muster much else offensively. With the team struggling to get much going, Spencer Carbery experimented with lines over the course of the game, with Dylan Strome working with Tom Wilson and Connor McMichael and Protas getting some looks on the third line as well. Lines would revert at the end of the game, though D.C. still couldn't tilt the ice back. SPECIAL TEAMS NEEDS WORK Washington also needs to improve on the man advantage and went 0-for-2 on two very critical opportunities while failing to generate much. While the penalty kill got the job done, the Capitals let the Hurricanes move effectively and freely in the zone, leading to increased opportunity for Carolina.
