The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes will meet for less than the second occasion all-time within the postseason in the course of the second spherical of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Carolina got here again from 2-0 and 3-2 collection deficits and took Sport 7 of the 2019 first-round collection in extra time. The most effective-of-seven collection will kick off with Sport 1 on Tuesday evening at Capital One Area (7 PM ET, ESPN).
SCHEDULE
Graphic: @Capitals
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Carolina: 47-30-5 regular-season file (.604 factors share), second in Metropolitan Division; 4-1 first-round collection win over New Jersey Devils
Washington: 51-22-9 regular-season file (.677 factors share), first in Japanese Convention; 4-1 first-round collection win over Montreal Canadiens
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES
12/20/2024: 3-1 Washington
4/10/2025: 5-4 Washington (SO)
** N0te: Carolina hosted Washington, who performed the second half of a back-to-back each situations they visited Raleigh, after coming off of two days of rested themselves every time
REGULAR-SEASON TEAM LEADERS
Ovechkin (1.12, 73 in 65), who missed 16 video games with a damaged leg in November and December, and Strome (1.00) each averaged not less than a point-per-game for Washington. Ovechkin, Tom Wilson (33-32-65 in 81), and Aliaksei Protas (30-36-66 in 76) all hit the 30-goal mark whereas Strome (29) got here up simply brief. Connor McMichael (26-31-57 in 82), Jakob Chychrun (20-27-47 in 74), and Pierre-Luc Dubois (20-46-66 in 82) all eclipsed 20.
Aho and Jarvis had been the one Hurricanes to complete the season on the roster and hit the 25-goal, 60-point marks, respectively, after the group traded Martin Necas in January and Mikko Rantanen on the commerce deadline. Jarvis, Aho (29), Jack Roslovic (22), and Svechnikov (22) had been the one Hurricanes to eclipse 20 targets.
FIRST ROUND TEAM LEADERS
Svechnikov co-led the NHL in targets with Minnesota Wild left-wings Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy and Colorado Avalanche heart Nathan MacKinnon by way of 5 video games of the primary spherical league-wide.
Strome was only a helper shy of Edmonton Oilers heart Connor McDavid and St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler of the league lead and co-led in factors with Kaprizov and Fowler amongst gamers not taking part within the Los Angeles Kings-Edmonton collection.
REGULAR-SEASON TEAM STATISTICS
Each groups had practically an identical goals-against totals and ranked within the prime 5 league-wide when it got here to penalty-killing, the place Carolina led the pack. The Hurricanes completed with the bottom shots-against, the place the Capitals ranked tenth.
Whereas each squads completed above .5 in each possession metric, Carolina led the NHL in every class. Nonetheless, Washington had one of the best capturing share and higher save share.
FIRST-ROUND TEAM STATISTICS
The Capitals and Hurricanes had an identical targets and goals-against per sport averages however Carolina had considerably higher particular groups. The Hurricanes had a slight benefit in shot suppression, although each groups thrived in that space in the course of the first spherical.
Washington had the higher anticipated targets ratio however Carolina fared higher within the different two possession metrics. The Capitals had been additionally higher at ending their probabilities.
GOALTENDING MATCHUP
Thompson, 28, carried out higher than Andersen, 35, in each class in the course of the regular- and postseason. Andersen is predicted to be prepared after getting injured within the second interval of Sport 4 at New Jersey and never returning for the rest of the primary spherical.
Thompson performed just one interval towards Carolina in the course of the common season, making 9 saves on 12 shots-against (.750) on April 2. Andersen, 35, recorded a 1-0-1 file, .898 save share, and a couple of.41 goals-against common within the final two conferences.
Andersen topped each Thompson’s save share and goals-against common in 4 video games in the course of the first spherical.
INJURIES
Washington
D Martin Fehervary (knee)
LW Sonny Milano (upper-body)
C Nicklas Backstrom (hip)
RW T.J. Oshie (again)
Carolina
WILL WIN IF
Washington: the group continues to manage the puck towards a powerful possession group and doesn’t enable Carolina to spend lengthy quantities of time within the offensive zone; steal not less than a sport out of Raleigh after the Hurricanes went an Japanese Convention-best 31-9-1 at house (which was additionally second within the NHL) in the course of the common season and gained all three video games at Lenovo Middle within the first spherical (Washington went 25-13-3 on the highway within the common season – tied league lead with Toronto Maple Leafs – earlier than splitting two video games in Montreal in the course of the first spherical, Carolina has gone underneath .500 on the highway with a 16-21-4 regular-season file and cut up two postseason away contests); they win the particular groups matchup
Carolina: Andersen outplays Thompson after falling to Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning, 2021), Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers, 2022/2024), Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida Panthers, 2023) the earlier 4 seasons; they get scoring depth throughout their ahead lineup; they flip their robust scoring-chance technology into extra targets
X-FACTORS
Washington: C Pierre-Luc Dubois — The 26-year-old will possible get tasked with shutting down Aho and Svechnikov’s line after doing the identical to Nick Suzuki’s within the first spherical. Dubois offers Washington a bonus down the center, particularly after Carolina parted with their second-line heart in Necas in the course of the common season and could also be weak at that place. Dubois had a strong first spherical, when he tallied a .5386 five-on-five anticipated goals-for share, however he has extra offense in him than the 2 assists he notched in 5 video games vs. Montreal. If Dubois produces extra offense than he did within the first spherical, it might be an enormous distinction maker for Washington.
Carolina: Andersen — Carolina was arguably the higher group in every of the final two collection losses however fell as a result of their opponent had the superior goaltending. As soon as once more on this collection, Washington possible has the sting in web after Thompson had a breakout common season and shined once more within the first spherical. The Hurricanes will want well timed saves to construct momentum that compliments their possession dominance within the offensive zone and Andersen must proceed to place up the numbers he turned in towards New Jersey to offer his group a lift.
PROJECTED LINES
Carolina
Svechnikov — Aho — Jackson BlakeJordan Martinook – Jordan Staal — JarvisTaylor Corridor – Jesperi Kotkaniemi — Logan StankovenEric Robinson — Mark Jankowski — William Service
Slavin — Brent BurnsDmitry Orlov — Jalen ChatfieldShayne Gostisbehere – Sean Walker
AndersenPyotr Kochetkov
Scratched
Roslovic
C Skylar Brind’Amour
C Tyson Jost
C Bradley Nadeau
D Riley Stillman
D Scott Morrow
D Domenick Fensore
G Spencer Martin
Washington
Ovechkin — Strome — Anthony BeauvillierMcMichael – Dubois — WilsonAndrew Mangiapane – Lars Eller — Ryan LeonardBrandon Duhaime — Nic Dowd — Protas
Chychrun — CarlsonRasmus Sandin — RoyAlexander Alexeyev – Trevor Van Riemsdyk
ThompsonCharlie Lindgren
Scratched
RW Taylor Raddysh
D Dylan McIlrath
D Ethan Bear
RW Ethen Frank
G Mitchell Gibson
BETTING ODDS (Caesers, as of 5/2)
Collection Betting
Carolina: -175
Washington: +148
Collection Rating
Carolina 4-1: +500
Carolina 4-2: +350
Carolina 4-3: +475
Carolina 4-0: +900
Washington 4-3: +500
Washington 4-2: +675
Washington 4-1: +800
Washington 4-0: +1800
Complete Quantity Of Video games
4: +600
5: +260
6: +190
7: +200
Collection Spreads
Collection Handicap 2
Carolina +2.5: -800
Washington -2.5: +550
Collection Handicap
Carolina +1.5: -320
Washington -1.5: +250
Collection Handicap 3
Carolina -1.5: +120
Washington +1.5: -150
Collection Handicap 4
Carolina -2.5: +270
Washington +2.5: -350
STAFF SERIES PREDICTIONS
Jon: Washington in 7
Ethan: Washington in 6
Della: Washington in 7
Diane: Washington in 7
Harrison: Washington in 6
Eric: Washington in 6
Aaron: Washington in 7
By Harrison Brown
