The Capitals play a near-perfect game, hand the Hurricanes their first division loss

The Carolina Hurricanes opened their three-game homestand on Tuesday night, facing the Washington Capitals in a rematch of last season’s playoff clash. Entering the game on a four-win streak, Carolina had just come off an impressive comeback in Toronto and a home victory against Buffalo.

Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the lineup after missing six games due to an injury sustained in late October against Vegas. In goal, Frederik Andersen, who had been excellent in their postseason meeting, started opposite Logan Thompson, one of the league’s top-performing goaltenders early this season.

Washington Strikes First

Washington’s strong forecheck paid off early when Ethan Frank won a battle along the boards and set up Brandon Duhaime at the net front, who beat Andersen for the opening goal. Shortly after, a collision between Andersen and Nic Dowd sparked some tension, culminating in Logan Stankoven dropping the gloves with Martin Fehervary.

“Despite two power play opportunities, the Hurricanes trailed 1–0 after the first period.”

Errors Prove Costly

The Hurricanes started the second period aggressively but were undone by self-inflicted mistakes. A turnover in the neutral zone by Sebastian Aho led to a quick Washington counterattack, finished by Dylan Strome on a breakaway to make it 2–0. Late in the frame, Carolina managed to break through but could not regain full control.

Summary

Costly errors and Washington’s early execution sealed Carolina’s first division loss at home, ending the Hurricanes’ winning run on a tough night in Raleigh.

Author’s summary: Washington’s disciplined performance and Carolina’s mistakes combined to produce a decisive 4–1 result that broke the Hurricanes’ winning streak.

Cardiac Cane — 2025-11-12