WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bounces didn’t cost the Hurricanes the first game of their second round series against the Washington Capitals. One did in Game 2.
A dump-in attempt by Sean Walker early in the second period hit partner Shayne Gostisbehere in the neck, sending Capitals forward Connor McMichael in for a breakaway goal to give the Capitals a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in a 3-1 win over Carolina on Thursday at Capital One Arena.
The teams exchanged power play goals in the third period, but Tom Wilson’s empty-net goal with a minute left solidified a split in the first two games of the series as it heads to Raleigh for Game 3.
“We bang it off our own guy, then that got them going,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
In Tuesday’s Game 1, Carolina hit five posts and trailed by a goal as the midway point of the third period approached, but managed to tie the game and win in overtime. On Thursday, the Hurricanes never seemed to recover from the bounce that led to the game’s first goal.
“It’s unfortunate,” Walker said of the sequence that allowed McMichael to score at 2:16 of the second period. “Just trying to get the puck out there. Obviously, it hit Shayne in the neck, kind of stuns him there for a sec, then they get a fast break and they score. It’s part of it. Just move on.”
The goal gave the Capitals momentum after Carolina had dominated the first period in much the same way they controlled it in Game 1.
The Hurricanes, however, were again unable to score in the opening 20 minutes despite holding a wide territorial advantage, taking nearly 67% of the 5-on-5 shot attempts (23-11) and registering an 11-3 scoring chance advantage, including 4-1 in the high-danger category, while outshooting Washington 7-5. Still, the score was 0-0 after 20 minutes.
“I thought our first was good,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said, “and the second period was no good.”
Carolina entered the third down 1-0 for the second straight game in the series. But instead of tying it as they did on Tuesday, the Hurricanes found themselves down two on the first power play goal they’ve allowed this postseason.
After Carolina defenseman Brent Burns’ turnover led to him taking a penalty, the Capitals scored when Wilson set up John Carlson for a one-timer into an open net past Frederik Andersen (18 saves) to make it 2-0 at 1:54 of the final frame.
“Took a penalty, and obviously the PK — love to have the kill, but that’s the difference,” Staal said.
Carolina had been a perfect 19 for 19 before Carlson’s goal.
The Hurricanes’ power play, meanwhile, gave Carolina hope with its first goal of the series.
After McMichael was called for delay of game for flipping the puck over the glass, the Hurricanes converted on a goal by Gostisbehere.
Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis’ one-timer from the right faceoff ricocheted to the opposite side of the ice, and Gostibehere wired the puck past Logan Thompson (27 saves) to halve Washington’s lead to 2-1 just before the midway point of the third.
The Hurricanes lifted Andersen for an extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining, but they could not get the equalizer before Wilson scored his third goal of the playoffs into an empty net.
Carolina still heads home having taken home-ice advantage from the Capitals and will benefit from having final change after dictating play for much of the series’ first two games on the road.
“To get the matchups we want I think is something that can definitely sway a series,” Walker said. “I think everyone’s playing pretty good right now. If you don’t get them, you don’t get them, but definitely it’s something going home that we’ll be looking forward to.”
Brind’Amour said his team will need to be better in Saturday’s Game 3.
“We knew it was going to be hard,” Brind’Amour said after losing Game 2. “We didn’t expect it to be anything but like this. Can we be better? Yeah.”
Notes: Mark Jankowski, who exited Game 1 with an injury, did not play. Jack Roslovic centered the Carolina fourth line. … The Capitals blocked 33 shots (led by six from Trevor van Riemsdyk) to the Hurricanes’ 10. … Gostisbehere and Walker combined for 10 shots on goal, with Gostisbehere posting a game-high six.
