RALEIGH, N.C. — Sean Walker minimize to the center of the ice and beat Logan Thompson for a essential late objective, then Andrei Svechnikov adopted with an empty-net clincher to assist the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday evening and take a 3-1 lead of their second-round playoff collection.
Carolina improved to 5-0 at house within the playoffs and may clinch a second journey to the Japanese Convention finals in three years by profitable Recreation 5 in Washington on Thursday.
“If I am simply sincere with how I really feel about it, I assumed our first two video games [on the road] would possibly’ve been higher than a few of these video games — simply the possibilities we have given up, just a little an excessive amount of right here for me,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned. “However clearly right now of yr, it is about outcomes. I like the place we’re at, that is for certain.”
Walker’s rating was an enormous one, coming after the Capitals had pulled to inside 3-2 on Alex Ovechkin’s one-timer blast on a 5-on-3 energy play with about eight minutes left. It began on a puck battle and the weird sight of Washington’s Rasmus Sandin skating in solely to get the blade of his stick caught in a niche alongside the boards, permitting Taylor Corridor to gather the puck and flip a move to the surging Walker on the left facet.
Walker hesitated to chop behind Jack Roslovic and rating on the 16:45 mark to push the lead again to 4-2, marking his first profession postseason objective.
Svechnikov adopted along with his seventh postseason objective shortly after the Capitals pulled Thompson for an additional skater, the capper after Carolina twice led by two targets however needed to maintain on by means of the ultimate 10 minutes.
“I feel as a complete, we sort of stored our composure,” Walker mentioned. “Did not actually panic, simply caught to our techniques.”
Corridor, Seth Jarvis and Shayne Gostisbehere additionally scored for the Hurricanes, and Frederik Andersen carried a shutout into the third earlier than ending with 19 saves.
Simply as necessary, the Hurricanes twice responded because the Capitals inched inside a objective within the third. Corridor’s rating on a 1-on-1 likelihood got here lower than three minutes after Jakob Chychrun had introduced the Capitals to inside 2-1, sprung on an extended move from Roslovic after he was gradual coming again and Washington’s protection misplaced observe of him.
Walker’s rating took place 4½ minutes after Ovechkin’s objective.
Ovechkin’s blast bought the NHL’s profession targets chief on the scoresheet for the primary time this collection. Thompson completed with 32 saves.
“We’re giving ourselves some alternatives, we’re simply not executing, making the play, no matter you need to name it,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery mentioned. “And making some errors — they usually’re capitalizing.”
To that time, the Japanese Convention’s high seed bought a fast begin after a Recreation 3 shutout, beginning with Connor McMichael getting a 1-on-1 likelihood on Andersen within the opening minute. Aliaksei Protas adopted by ringing the proper publish shortly after.
Washington additionally managed just one shot on objective throughout a 4-minute energy play, the primary 3½ minutes of these coming to shut the primary interval.
“Their penalty kill is great, greatest within the league, has been for the final, no matter, 5 years name it,” Carbery mentioned. “However it could actually’t appear to be that. It can’t appear to be that.”
