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All good things come to an end: Carolina snaps Capitals’ streak at nine | All good things come to an end: Carolina snaps Capitals’ streak at nine |
(34 minutes later) | |
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Washington Capitals knew the win streak would eventually end. They’d run out of lucky bounces, run into a hot goaltender or just come out flat one night. It’s a long season, and while they were on a fun run, it always had an expiration date. | |
Plagued by injuries the past week and playing their third game since Monday, the Capitals lost to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, Thursday night after a largely sloppy effort. Their nine-game winning streak had given them a comfortable cushion atop the Eastern Conference, but it came to an end on New Year’s Eve at PNC Arena. | |
“You shouldn’t win games when you play like this,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. | |
[You like that: 2015 in D.C. sports, told through Vines] | |
Before the game, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said the contest would be won and lost at even strength. Washington didn’t have a single power play for its second-ranked unit to exploit, though the Capitals’ penalty kill didn’t surrender a goal to the Hurricanes in their three power play chances. | |
“We didn’t get one obviously,” Trotz said. “I was a little surprised by that because they were hanging on and we had some zone time, but no excuse. We were too sloppy tonight.” | |
At even strength, the Capitals were flat, and Backstrom said they “weren’t there” in the first 50 minutes of the game. Defenseman Matt Niskanen said they gave up too many point-blank chances. Trotz said Washington’s energy level was poor. | |
The teams were tied, 1-1, entering the third period, but just 51 seconds had elapsed when Eric Staal sent a wrist shot toward a half-empty net. Washington goaltender Philipp Grubauer lunged, and his goalie stick got a piece of the puck, but a video review showed the puck crossed the goal line. Less than five minutes later, Jeff Skinner gave the Hurricanes a 3-1 lead. | |
[Capitals recall Aaron Ness with John Carlson out] | |
Midway through the third period, the Hurricanes were in command of a 35-25 shots advantage. Alex Ovechkin pounced on a turnover and scored from the right faceoff circle to get Washington within one with 5:44 remaining. But the Capitals couldn’t complete the comeback, as a late empty-net goal sealed it for Carolina (16-17-5). | Midway through the third period, the Hurricanes were in command of a 35-25 shots advantage. Alex Ovechkin pounced on a turnover and scored from the right faceoff circle to get Washington within one with 5:44 remaining. But the Capitals couldn’t complete the comeback, as a late empty-net goal sealed it for Carolina (16-17-5). |
The Capitals will close 2015 with a 28-7-2 mark, good for 58 points. This calendar year was kind to the Capitals, as they finished with more wins (55) than any other team. | |
But the past week has been brutal, as injuries took a toll on the roster. Wednesday night, they lost third-line center Jay Beagle “for an extended period of time,” as he suffered an upper-body injury that will require surgery. The Capitals were also without top defenseman John Carlson, out for a third straight game with a lower-body injury. | |
“We had a couple passengers today, which is rare,” Trotz said. “Maybe emotionally last night with all of the changes and guys getting out of the game, maybe that had an effect. I don’t know.” | |
[Jay Beagle to have surgery, to miss ‘extended time’] | |
Carolina is the second best team in the league on faceoff, and Beagle was a top-five faceoff man, by far Washington’s best. But through 40 minutes, the Capitals were still holding their own in the circle, winning 63 percent of their faceoffs even without Beagle. | |
One faceoff the Capitals lost ultimately cost them. Jordan Staal won against Evgeny Kuznetsov in Carolina’s defensive zone. Staal carried it up the ice, got it to Joakim Nordstrom on the left, and Nordstrom hit Phillip DiGiuseppe in stride on the rush for the first goal of the game. | |
The Capitals responded quickly. Two minutes later, T.J. Oshie lost his stick in the neutral zone, and used his feet to keep the puck away from Carolina’s Justin Faulk. That led to Backstrom getting it, skating into the slot and sending up a puck up to the top of the netting. | |
Backstrom didn’t play the third period on Wednesday night, sustaining an upper-body injury in the second period. With the recent rash of injuries for the Capitals, that their top center would be in the lineup on Thursday was one of the few bits of good news. That they got through a game, win or loss, without another injury was a silver lining. | |
Now, Washington’s ability to recover from a loss despite being injured will be tested, as the Capitals haven’t had consecutive losses this season. They also haven’t been this banged up before. | |
“We want to win every night, but obviously it ended tonight, the winning streak,” Backstrom said. “It’s important for hockey teams to really come back the next game, so you don’t end up on a losing streak. It’s important to get on a winning streak again and get going and play the right way and the way we want to play.” |