The home team remains undefeated in the first round Stanley Cup Playoffs series between as Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals, as the Capitals took game five 6-0 at Capital One Arena Saturday.
Special teams were the dagger to the Hurricanes, as they went 0 for 4 on the man advantage and gave up three power-play goals to the Capitals.
The Canes seemed to always be a step behind in this lopsided the Capitals dominated play after the Canes won the last two games at home. Carolina just couldn’t seem to handle the offensive pressure and physicality that Washington brought, and the scoreboard showed as Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby posted a 30-save shoutout alongside a dominant offensive performance by the rest of his team.
The home team had scored first in each game of the series and game five was no different. Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom scored on the power play as he picked up his own rebound after Carolina netminder Petr Mrazek made the initial save to put Washington ahead.
It came on the second power play of the game for the Capitals with both coming less than eight minutes in as the Canes found themselves in discipline trouble early. Coupled with an intercepted pass that led to a four on two for the Caps, it was a compound of bad mistakes for Carolina.
The first period was all Washington and the Hurricanes did their best to weather the heavy game the Caps set. With Carolina missing two of its most physical players in forwards Jordan Martinook and Micheal Ferland, as well as forward Andrei Svechnikov, it was apparent early that the Capitals weren’t as afraid to throw the body.
Forward Gregg McKegg left the game in the first period after absorbing a heavy elbow from Capitals forward Tom Wilson, but he returned for the second, which is good news for a team struggling with injuries already in the postseason.
Carolina shifted the momentum to its side in the second period, holding the Capitals to only one shot in the first half of the period. However, the Canes could not capitalize on any opportunity, with three straight fruitless power plays before giving up a two on one which Washington buried.
Backstrom again found the twine off a feed from Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin after Carolina forward Warren Foegele turned the puck over while the rest of the team went off for a line change.
Washington would add another as forward Brett Connolly hammered a feed from Ovechkin after Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton pulled back from the puck in the corner.
The third period continued the misfortune for the Canes as Capitals forward Tom Wilson put home the second power-play goal of the night for Washington on a carryover penalty from the end of the second.
Later on, Capitals forward Nic Dowd was awarded a penalty shot after he was slashed on a breakaway, and Dowd slid it through Mrazek’s five-hole to push the lead higher.
Barely over a minute later, on yet another power play, Ovechkin rocketed a slapper off the faceoff to continue the embarrassment for the Canes.
The Hurricanes are currently missing a whole line worth of forwards: Svechnikov, Ferland and Martinook, but they will need to hunker down and find a way to win regardless if they want their season to continue.
Carolina will return home to PNC Arena Monday in game six of this first-round series as they try to stave off elimination.
