The Washington Capitals are already back in Raleigh, North Carolina for their final visit of the regular season to take on the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center.
After Washington beat Carolina in their own barn 5–2 on October 2, the Hurricanes did not lose another game, building an NHL-best five-game winning streak and rising to the top of the league standings with 11 points.
“We countered their pressure,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said of the victory. “We were able to push back, not just sit in the corner like a boxer and just shoot body shots and let them pound away. We came back at them. We were able to break their pressure and put them on their heels. I felt like we did a really good job, and that’s how you build a lead against them, which is usually not the case, especially at home.”
Since that loss, the Hurricanes have outscored their opponents 25-11, including a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game on Sunday. Finnish center Sebastian Aho leads Carolina in scoring, with 11 points (6g, 5a) in seven games so far this season.
“I think the first two games, whatever it is, call it a Stanley Cup hangover, we jumped on it really early here,” Carbery said Tuesday. “I think they just went back to doing exactly what they’ve been doing for the last five years. Just playing their game, applying pressure, winning the special teams battle. Just playing who they are.”
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Capital Injury Updates
The Capitals will once again be without top-line center Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) and top defenseman Matt Roy (lower-body injury), as neither player traveled to North Carolina with the team. Dubois will miss his second game in a row, while Roy has not played since his departure on October 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Alex Tuch, who did not participate in Washington’s practice Monday for what the club calls “interview,” took the ice for his morning skate Tuesday. However, Carbery would not commit to him suiting up against the Hurricanes.
“As far as alignment goes, there’s just too much going on, so it’ll be a time to play for alignment with the guard and the forward,” Carbery said. “We’ll see tonight; (Tuch) is a game-changing (decision).”
First stop on Alex Ovechkin’s farewell tour
Alex Ovechkin will play his final regular season game at Lenovo Center as the Capitals finish their trip to Raleigh early in the year.
Ovechkin hasn’t recorded more points against another NHL franchise than his 111 points (53g, 58a) in 97 games against Carolina. He has also scored more career goals against only two other franchises: the Winnipeg Jets (58) and Philadelphia Flyers (54).
The Hurricanes lose their captain
The Hurricanes will not have Jordan Staal on the ice for the next few weeks. The Carolina captain has a torn calf and head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it will keep him out of the lineup “between a month and two months.”
Carolina is already still without star forward Seth Jarvis, who has yet to make his season debut after undergoing surgery on a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder last June. He has progressed to practicing in a regular jersey, but still serves as an extra skater during Carolina’s practices.
Projected programming
Capital lines
After losing to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, the Capitals recalled defenseman Justin Holl from the AHL’s Hershey Bears, and he appears set to make his full debut with the Caps on Tuesday.
According to John Walton, here’s how the Caps lined up during their morning practice.
A. Protas
I. Protas
Ovechkin
Franc
Deaf
Beauvilliers
Hurricane Lines
Carolina’s projected lines come from team reporter Walt Ruff.
Ehlers
Jankowski
Martinook
Robinson
Kotkaniemi
Deslauriers
Fun facts
- The Capitals have won their last two road games in Raleigh. They haven’t won three games in a row in Carolina since a three-game stretch from January 3, 2020 to March 18, 2022.
- Tuesday night’s game will be the 210th all-time matchup between the two franchises, with the Capitals holding a 114-81-14 record in previous games. The Caps have an all-time record of 51-43-10 on the road against the Hurricanes and Hartford Whalers.
- In 48 career road games against Carolina, Ovechkin has recorded 59 points (33g, 26a). His 33 goals, 26 assists and 59 points at Lenovo Center are the most he has recorded at an NHL venue other than Capital One Arena.
Puck drop is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. due to the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy, when all 32 teams play on the same night with staggered start times. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
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