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| Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC |
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Game Notes:
The Carolina Hurricanes host division rival the Washington Capitals at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. on Thursday.
The two teams have split their first two games against one another this season, with Carolina winning the most recent matchup, 4-0, back on Tuesday, while the Capitals shutout the Hurricanes 3-0 back on Feb. 26.
Carolina still sits atop the Southeast division, with a three-point edge and one game in hand over the Winnipeg Jets.
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First Period
- Washington wins the opening faceoff and gain the Carolina zone, but can't do anything with it
- Hurricanes start to pressure the Capitals in their zone and keep it up for a minute or say
- It doesn't take long as Alexander Semin scores against his old team on a set up from behind and from the corner via Jiri Tlusty and Eric Staal - 1-0 Hurricanes with 18:46 to play
- After first seven minutes of play, Carolina outworking and outhustling Capitals and outshooting them 7-3
- Washington's top line is out right now and look like they're not worried about moving too fast
- Sidetracked with tweeting, but not much has been missed here except Pat Dwyer added to the Carolina lead which is now 2-0
- Dwyer got his stick on a Tim Gleason shot/pass that beat Neuvirth from about 25 feet out - Corvo also got an assist on the play
- Dan Ellis just made the sickest pad save this season as he made the first down on his knees and then shifted over to his left to deny an open-net goal from Eric Fehe at the 8:30 mark in the period
- At the other end, it seems that the Semin-EStaal-Tlusty line has free reign around the Capitals net - just a matter of time when they connect again
- Washington slowly starting to apply some pressure to Ellis as he's had to come up with some good stops
- EStaal is called for tripping with 4:04 left and the Caps get their first chance to show the NHL's third best power play in action
- Carolina successful so far in killing off the Caps PP - so much for that then
- Hurricanes top line willing to block shots as Tlusty and Semin do so consecutively on Washington point shots after the power play ends
- Jeff Skinner battles in open ice to get free of John Carlson and can't - Carlson is called off for interference and the Hurricanes go on the PP for the first time tonight
- Period ends with no more scoring - Hurricanes lead in SOG - 15-11
Second Period
- Washington has really come out much faster and keep the puck in the Carolina zone for almost 90 seconds
- Caps still keeping pressure deep behind Ellis' neet with 16:24 to play - still 2-0 for the Hurricanes
- Aaron Volpatti comes down the left boards past Justin Faulk by the hash marks and feeds a quick pass into the slot where Joey Crabbe redirects the puck past Ellis to cut the Carolina lead to one goal now - 14:04 to play
- Hurricanes start to show higher energy in the offensive end and Neuvirth has to be sharp in making a save on Semin by his right post
- Mike Ribeiro takes a tripping penalty for Washington and the Hurricanes will try again on the PP with Brent-Corvo at point along with Semin-EStaal-Tlusty for the first wave
- Caps are killing the penalty off so far as it enters into the second minute as Faulk-Harrison rearguard Jokinen-JStaal- Skiinner on the PP
- The Hurricanes can't cash in on the man-advantage and both teams trade opportunities at both ends of the ice
- Lots of work completed by the two teams' checking lines with Hurricanes still leading in SOG - 23-16 for the game
- As Carolina still leads 2-1 with 5:13, Ellis makes a save on a Matt Hendricks shot that stops a charge by the Caps' top line as Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom
- Ellis is keeping the puck tied up just as Washington starts each drive - he scoops it up and doesn't provide any rebounds to keep the play going - smart play
- Hurricanes are hovering around Neuvirth but not getting any tangible results - many missed or fanned shots in close
- As the final 30 seconds of the period count down, Tlusty-JStaal-Semin keeps pushing but can't score
- EStaal is called for high sticking at the end of the period, so the Capitals will start on the PP to begin the third period
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Third Period
- Capitals get a quick shot from Ovechkin on the PP but Ellis makes the save
- The Hurricanes dump it a few times and Washington seems to not be moving the puck with much urgency
- However, after they establish control in the Carolina zone, Backstrom feeds it into the middle to Troy Brouwer who slides it over to the left again to a waiting Ovechkin who snaps a one-timer into the open net to beat Ellis and tie the score 2-2- with 18:59 to play
- After five more minutes, the Capitals have taken more control of the puck and keep Ellis busy even as Hurricanes are outshooting them 27-20
- With 13:39 to go, Joey Crabbe is called for boarding, after a hit on Bobby Sanguinetti leaves him on the ice for a while
- Hurricanes start the PP and a few shots later must reset as the Capitals dump it down the ice
- EStaal's line can't score so JStaal's tries with another few chances on Neuvirth, but with no goals
- The PP is ended quickly as Justin Faulk is penalized for roughing
- Washington PP starts, Semin and Fehr are penalized, but keeps the Caps PP intact
- Hurricanes pick up the pace on offense as Skinner gets a chance to beat Neuvirth in close, but can't
- EStaal lets a shot go that hits the post
- Hurricanes checking line out now and they generate activity around Neuvirth, but now goals - still tied 2-2 with 6:04 to play
- Big save by Ellis on Fehr with just over five minutes to play
- Semin loads up a shot that Nuevirth stops with 3:53 to play - Hurricanes outshooting Caps 36-24 at this point
- With 2:16 to go it looks as though Mike Ribeiro has scored the go-ahead goal for the Capitals after a play initiated by Ovechkin leaves the goalie and defenders scrambling for the puck - Washington leads 3-2 now
- Not much time remaining for Carolina to tie this one up now
- 1:20 - Canes pull Ellis for the extra skater - Jeff Skinner comes onto the ice
- Puck is fought for in the corner to Neuvirth's right and behind the goal for 30-plus seconds
- With 15.5 seconds left, the Capitals are penalized and the Hurricanes will have a two-man advantage with Ellis out of the net - faceoff to Neuvirth's left
- JStaal wins the faceoff and puck gets to Semin - two shots later it goes over the glass
- Last faceoff ends up with the puck in the corner and Carolina can't get another chance to tie it
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