Three Thoughts After Big Carolina Hurricanes Win Against The Capitals
The Carolina Hurricanes had their way with the Washington Capitals on Monday night in Washington winning six to one.
The Carolina Hurricanes had not beat the Capitals this season going into their final matchup of the regular season on Monday. Seems like someone forgot to tell the Hurricanes they hadn’t beat the Caps yet because they didn’t seemed faced at all controlling the game all night long.
The Hurricanes scored six goals tonight, with goals being scored by Derek Stepan, Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei. A lot of different players got involved in the game and it was a lot of fun to watch.
Even though the game was very high-scoring and not close, that wasn’t the case at the start of the second period when Tom Wilson scored the lone goal for the Capitals. It looked like momentum could shift and this game was going to get closer, but the Hurricanes buckled down and kept playing, and now get to enjoy a quick turnaround facing the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight.
1. A Potential Playoff Matchup?
The Hurricanes and Capitals could meet in round one of the playoffs this season, something that hasn’t happened since 2019 when the two went to seven games with the Hurricanes coming out on top in a double OT game seven.
The Hurricanes are definitely the better team this season, but the Capitals have had the upper hand winning three of four matchups this season, so really a first-round matchup between these two teams would be anyone’s guess on the winner.
These two teams facing off is always fun so a first-round matchup wouldn’t be the worst thing in my opinion.
2. A Quick Flashback
As mentioned earlier, if the Hurricanes and Capitals met in round one it would be their first matchup together since the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. There is something important to mention about that series – the underdog won.
Like all the first-round wild card teams, the Hurricanes won their first-round matchup in 2019. If the two teams met again it would be under different circumstances. The Hurricanes would be the favorite and would be looked at as the team with everything to lose and nothing to gain.
More so than in years past, I think this is really a do-or-die year for the Hurricanes. Expectations seem to be higher than in years past, and I can’t wait to see it all play out in a little over a month!
3. An Unnecessary And Frustrating Ending
The Carolina Hurricanes won big, but the mood definitely is not great right now thanks to the way the game ended. With 1.8 seconds left in the game, Lars Eller dished out a hit on Jesperi Kotkaniemi that left him on the ice and eventually needing help getting down the tunnel and out of the game.
The game was 6-1 and time was running out. Eller was handed a penalty on the play but really all anyone cared about at the time was Kotkaniemi’s health. Our friends over at Cardiac Cane said it best.
Kotkaniemi gets blindsided by Eller. Kotkaniemi needed help down the tunnel. Not something you want to see in a dead rubber game. Eller gets given a major, but that means nothing in comparison to Kotkaniemi's health right now...
— Cardiac Cane (@CardiacCane) March 29, 2022
The Hurricanes are most likely going to be without Kotkaniemi for a little bit. As head coach Rob Brind’Amour put it after the game:
I don’t know the extent, but it’s not good. He’s injured. I don’t know how bad, but he’s definitely going to be out. The game was over. Let’s just get it over with. Two seconds left. I don’t like it. But nothing you can do about it.
Coach Brind’Amour definitely is right in what he is saying there. The game is running out and with two seconds left no one should be dishing out a hit like that, especially considering the game was already decided.
This was the last time the Capitals and Hurricanes will faceoff in the regular season. Now we all will have to wait and see whether or not they will meet in round one of the playoffs. Hopefully, by then, Kotkaniemi will be healthy and back in the lineup!