Can Ovechkin and the Capitals Make a Comeback?
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals have had an excellent and shocking second-round playoff series. Many were expecting a clean sweep by Washington, but Carolina has won two games in this series. The Capitals, however, have only won one game this series. On May 12th, at 7:00 p.m. EST, Game Four of the Hurricanes-Capitals series will happen. Can Carolina maintain and extend their series lead to three wins to one? Can Washington even the series to two wins apiece?
Standout Carolina players from Game One include Logan Stankoven, Dmitry Orlov, and Jaccob Slavin. Standout Washington players from Game One and Game Two include Logan Thompson, Tom Wilson, and John Carlson. Standout Carolina players from Game Two and Game Three include Shayne Gotisbehere, Seth Jarvis, and Frederik Andersen. These standout players have been noted for their results on the ice, particularly in scoring and performing above the already-high standards that playoff hockey expects. The winner of this playoff series will face the winner of the Maple Leafs-Panthers series in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Analyzing the first three games of this series, many patterns can be recognized. Carolina and Washington both have one win apiece when this series is in Washington. Carolina’s win was a 2-1 overtime victory in Game One. Washington’s win was a 3-1 victory in Game Two. Game Three was in Carolina and was a 4-0 shutout win for the Hurricanes. One player that surprisingly hasn’t contributed much in this series is Alex Ovechkin. In this series, he has racked up zero goals and not even a single assist. For someone like Ovechkin, who’s an icon for how much he contributes to scoring, this spells bad news for the Capitals. Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record during the regular season, was pulled from Game Two with 5:40 left in the third period.
Considering Ovechkin is also the NHL leader in empty-net goals, the decision turned some heads. The 39-year-old was also pulled early during three games of the First Round against the Montreal Canadiens, causing fans to voice concern over his health. However, Capitals coach Stephen Carbery shut down these rumors before Game Three against Carolina. "He's fine. It's just protecting a lead late." Carbery answered. Now, with the Capitals behind in the series, fans need the roster, Ovechkin included, to step up and meet the expectations they set in the regular season.
