The Washington Capitals roared back in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Second Round series Tuesday night, flipping the script after a sluggish series opener with a strong, composed 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Capital One Arena. With the best-of-seven now tied 1-1, the series shifts to Raleigh for what promises to be a pivotal Game 3.
After being thoroughly outplayed in an overtime loss in Game 1, the Capitals responded with the urgency and edge befitting the Eastern Conference’s top seed. It was Tom Wilson who led the charge — both physically and on the scoresheet — in a vintage performance that ignited the home crowd and lifted his team.
Wilson blocked a pair of critical shots, set up the go-ahead power-play goal with a perfect cross-ice pass to John Carlson, and sealed the win with an empty-net goal. His all-around impact was impossible to ignore and set the tone for a Washington team that looked far more in control and confident than it did just two nights earlier.
“From Wilson down, we played with purpose,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “We started a little slow, but once we got our legs going, we dictated the pace.”
Connor McMichael opened the scoring for Washington midway through the second period, capitalizing on a breakaway after a Carolina turnover to beat Frederik Andersen and put the Capitals ahead. Carolina responded in the third with a power-play goal from Shayne Gostisbehere — breaking Washington’s perfect penalty kill streak at 17-for-17 — but the Capitals answered back just minutes later on Carlson’s strike.
Between the pipes, Logan Thompson continued to solidify his reputation as a playoff performer. The 27-year-old netminder stopped 27 of 28 shots, including several high-danger chances late in the third. Chants of “LT! LT!” rang out around the arena as Thompson frustrated the Hurricanes and gave the Capitals the stability they needed in net.
“Thompson was huge,” said Carlson. “Every time they pushed, he pushed back harder.”
The Hurricanes, who swept their home slate against the Devils in the first round and won 31 of 41 games at PNC Arena during the regular season, will look to regain control of the series on home ice. Andersen made 18 saves in Game 2 but didn’t get the same defensive support that anchored Carolina’s Round 1 success.
Game 3 is set for 6 p.m. Saturday in Raleigh — a must-watch showdown as both teams vie to take the series lead in what’s shaping up to be a heavyweight clash between contrasting styles and playoff-tested cores.
Can the Hurricanes keep their home dominance alive, or will the Capitals carry this momentum on the road?
