Here you can check for updates and post comments for the game Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes on February 14, 2023.
The Washington Capitals, in the playoffs, face one of the most challenging and important parts of their schedule, a three-game-in-five-day stretch in which they play the Carolina Hurricanes twice and the Florida Panthers twice.
The Capitals will do so without Alex Ovechkin, who is said to be taking a leave of absence to be with his ailing father Mikhail in Russia, and Aliaksei Protas, whose wife is expecting their first child.
The Hurricanes arrive at Capital One Arena as leaders in the Metropolitan Division. The Canes, who have won 34 of 52 games this season, have a plus-33 goal difference. The Hurricanes are led by Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas, who have both scored over 20 goals this season.
Tonight’s game is back on NBC Sports Washington and the puck drop is just after 7pm.
connections
Today’s giveaway
It’s Jo Dabney’s Rally Towel Raffle Night! Jo is an RMNB reader and a member of the Black Girls Hockey Club. <3https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1625625626584424449
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No Ovechkin or Protas.
Lineys#CapsCanes | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/AA4xcP1y2K
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 14, 2023
Set up! pic.twitter.com/9j15pd31aq
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 14, 2023
Happy Valentines Day
1st period
Milano-Backstrom-Johansson and TVR-Irwin are the first. Darcy Kuemper meets Frederik Andersen online.
Important news about target song update.
Sonny Milano’s new goalie song is Van McCoy’s “The Hustle” per @pennybacker https://t.co/tiFdRiOktR pic.twitter.com/W8cdFBU90k
— RMNB (@rmnb) February 14, 2023
The start of the game was delayed by 10 minutes because the network camera fell off.
net delay. pic.twitter.com/bqFwXVlIbw
— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) February 15, 2023
Svechnikov pitted to stumble at the 8:38 mark of the period. The Capitals get their first power play.
Surprise surprise, the power play without Ovechkin didn’t look dangerous.
🚨 1-0 hurricanes. Brett Burns’ point shot hits Conor Sheary and goes in. The goal came after 15 minutes of the first half. And this is how it begins…
The Hurricanes are 26-4-4 on the first goal. That’s the most wins in the NHL.
🚨 1:1 draw. TJ Oshie scores with a jump one timer after Joe Snively hits him in the net. It’s a McNuggets minute goal because it was scored with 58 seconds left. Wild.
Caps played inspired hockey to end the period.
The Capitals overtook the Hurricanes 10-5 but were mostly harmless from the outside line. The Hurricanes beat the Capitals 18-11 5v5. The Capitals only just have the expected goal advantage, 0.70 to 0.69.
2nd period
It feels like this second period is going to cast a big shadow over everything that happens for the rest of the week.
🚨 2-1 hurricanes. SEEING-EYE PUCK after the cookie is deflected by Paul Stastny. The goal came at the 2:33 mark.
🚨 2-2 draw. Joe Snively with an incredible snipe. He retains the capitals in this one. The goal came at the 6:23 mark.
Conor Sheary to the box for slashing.
🚨 3-2 hurricanes. Stefan Noesen with a sick point shot on the power play. The Canes are back in the league. The gate fell at 11:38 am.
Andrei Svechnikov pits to hook TVR. When the score was 14:16, the penalty fell. Big power play is imminent for the Capitals.
Capitals have 71 seconds zone time during man advantage, but do practically nothing with it.
Capitals immediately back on the power play. Martin Necas pits for the high-sticking Garnet Hathaway at the 16:54 mark.
Caps PP shows some life. Has a few chances in front of the net through Anthony Mantha.
The Capitals pass the Hurricanes 23-21, but the Canes start to clinic in 5v5 shot attempts, 39-30. The capitals are still just ahead of the canes on expected goals of 2.23-2.20.
3rd period
Hurricanes start the period with two big scoring chances. Capitals suit this energy better.
Joe Snively with another big chance. It’s too bad Laviolette hardly ever plays him.
Anthony Mantha hits the bar hard on a breakaway. Like I was shocked the bar didn’t disintegrate from the impact of the puck.
🚨 3-3 draws. Joe Snively’s one-timer is stopped by the Hurricanes. Trevor van Riemsdyk finds the rebound and scores. The goal comes 9:39 into the half period. Snively created all three goals and was on the ice.
Rod Brind’Amour successfully challenged goal over keeper interference. Strome and Oshie were in the crease, interfering with Frederik Andersen.
The Capitals pull off Darcy Kuemper with less than two minutes in the game.
Capitals can’t do anything with the additional attacker. They could hardly enter the zone.
Carolina wins 3-2.
The Capitals beat the Hurricanes 36-30, but Carolina beat them 5v5, 55-53. The Capitals (sort of) held the expected goal advantage of 4.52 to 3.14.
Comment below. Keep updating this article all night as we will be updating it live.