Trying on the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals prematurely of their assembly Tuesday night time in Raleigh, N.C., there is a fundamental evaluation of their current play: The Hurricanes have discovered methods to get the job achieved, whereas the Capitals haven’t.
The Hurricanes have gained 4 video games in a row following Sunday night time’s comeback from a two-goal deficit for a 5-4 highway victory in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“We have achieved an ideal job of doing it by committee,” Carolina ahead Seth Jarvis mentioned. “All aspects of our sport are actually going proper now. Even when guys do not get on the scoresheet, they’re making impacts in numerous methods. I feel that is what’s actually pushing our staff to win.”
The Capitals, who’ve been off since Saturday, have misplaced two in a row and 6 of their final seven (1-5-1). Tuesday’s sport will mark the third cease on a four-game highway journey after dropping to Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.
“Usual tune,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery mentioned. “I assumed we did some good issues (in opposition to the Lightning).”
Good stretches throughout video games aren’t satisfying for the Capitals, who’ve entered the third interval tied in every of their final 4 losses. That has been a theme of types for a staff that has 14 third-period targets in 15 video games this season, tied for twenty eighth within the league.
After Washington began the season 6-2-0, it has plummeted into second-to-last place within the Metropolitan Division, solely a single level up on Columbus.
“We have to search out methods to attain targets and are available out on prime,” Washington defenseman John Carlson mentioned. “It does us no good to really feel such as you’re enjoying good should you do not win. It would not matter.”
Issues will not get simpler in opposition to a Carolina staff at present tied atop the division.
The Hurricanes needed to crank up the tempo in Toronto, with their 22 third-period pictures the franchise’s most in any interval on the highway in additional than two years.
“We’re clearly going to play our sport and let the chips fall the place they could,” Hurricanes ahead Taylor Corridor mentioned. “You’re taking some solace in that, that you just simply must do your job and work.”
Jarvis scored his team-high tenth aim, turning into the second-fastest Hurricane in 15 years to succeed in double-digit targets in a season.
The Hurricanes, who did not maintain follow Monday after enjoying three video games in 4 nights, will probably be retooling their defensive pairings once more after rookie Charles Alexis Legault was taken to the hospital Sunday due to a reduce hand sustained in Toronto. They’re already with out three beginning defensemen from the start of the season, and Legault was one of many gamers who has been filling in.
“I’ve by no means seen something prefer it in all my days,” Brind’Amour mentioned. “You get accidents right here and there however to this diploma, it is simply the way in which it has gone. What’s spectacular to me is simply how we have discovered methods to get it achieved.”
The Capitals aren’t void of serious accidents. Ahead Pierre-Luc Dubois had surgical procedure for accidents to his stomach and adductor muscle groups, with the staff revealing on the finish of the weekend that he’s anticipated to overlook no less than three months of motion.
–Subject Stage Media