Special teams. Special plays. Special players.
After struggling for the past two months, the Carolina Hurricanes’ power play clicked while their penalty kill remained strong in their 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals at Lenovo Center Wednesday night. The Hurricanes (46-24-4) scored three man-advantage goals for the second time this season and neutralized the Capitals’ (48-18-9) power play, allowing one goal — which came at 5-on-3 — on four attempts.
The Hurricanes’ dominance on special teams helped clinch the playoffs for the seventh-straight season, tying the franchise record for most consecutive postseason appearances.
“That was the difference in the game,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour on the special teams. “We got a couple quick ones on the power play, and I thought we did a good job on the kill.”
While the Hurricanes’ power kill has been one of the best in the league all season, their power play couldn’t seem to click for most of the year. Carolina entered the contest with a power play goal in its last four games, but before that, it had scored nine on its last 100 attempts. The Canes’ man-advantage had become one of the worst in the NHL, ranking 25th at 18.5%.
But something has clicked over the last five games as the Canes have netted seven man-advantage goals. During that stretch, right wing Jackson Blake has four points on the power play, including two goals against the Capitals.
Blake’s first came with just under 10 minutes in the first period when he was in the right place at the right time. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere fired a shot from the slot that Washington goaltender Logan Thompson couldn’t corral. As the puck trickled out to the left faceoff circle, Blake was the first to it and fired it to the bottom left post for a 2-0 lead.
Then, early in the third period, center Seth Jarvis won a faceoff in the offensive zone that went right to Blake. The rookie dangled around Capitals’ wing Aliaksei Protas and lifted the puck over goaltender Charlie Lindgren’s shoulder for his second of the night.
It was the first multi-goal game of Blake’s career, and for Brind’Amour, he felt like it should’ve come much earlier. Blake had a 21-game goalless drought earlier in the season but was one of the Hurricanes’ most impactful players during that stretch.
“He was one of the better players in that 20-game stretch, so it was very strange that he hadn’t scored,” Brind’Amour said. “When you brought it up, I was kind of shocked. … We know he’s always around it and he’s played really well.”
Along with Blake, Jarvis and left wing Taylor Hall have played key roles in revitalizing the Hurricanes’ power play. They’ve each had five power play points in the last five games, including combining for three against Washington.
Jarvis scored his 30th goal of the season on the man-advantage and assisted on Blake’s second goal while Hall assisted on Blake’s first.
“We’re starting to figure it out a little more,” Jarvis said. “I think we’ve all been kind of in the same spots now for a little while, so we’re all getting comfortable with each other. … It’s nice to see we’re scoring different ways on the power play.”
Along with Blake’s and Jarvis’ power play goals in the first period, defenseman Sean Walker opened the scoring 6:14 in, and center Logan Stankoven’s goal halfway through the second made it 4-0. A Capitals team that was playing its third game in four days was caught off guard and frustrated.
Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin inched closer to the NHL all-time goal record with the 892nd of his career. Ovechkin blasted a one-timer past goaltender Frederik Andersen while on a 5-on-3 power play.
“It was only a matter of time, [when] he’s in his spot, 5-on-3,” Jarvis said. “I feel like you can almost count that before it happens.”
Despite a roar of cheers from Capitals fans who were happy to see their captain inch closer to Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, the players were less enthused. In the third period, tensions boiled over between the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division.
Between the two teams, 142 penalty minutes were racked up — 114 of which came in the final 7:02 of play. Eight players were given game misconducts and ejected from the game.
The first of which came when Capitals right wing Tom Wilson, who stands at a sturdy 6-foot-4, challenged a 5-foot-8 Stankoven.
“It doesn’t matter who it is, if guys are going to push our guys around, I’m going to be there to step in,” Stankoven said. “Obviously, I’m a smaller guy and not looking to stir anything up, but I’m gonna stand my ground and stand up for my teammates.”
The third period continued to drag on with line brawls, fights and penalties that only delayed what was an inevitable Hurricanes win when the period started.
“That’s hockey. It’s fun, it’s competitive,” Jarvis said. “At some point you just kind of want to go home, everyone’s sticking out for each other and I’m really, really proud of the guys in here and how we handled that.”
Blake, who went from college hockey — where fighting isn’t allowed — to the NHL was a little more taken aback by what has been his closest feel to a playoff type atmosphere.
“That was definitely a chaotic third period,” Blake said. “ … I don’t know if I’ve played in a game like that before but it was cool to see what we did and how we stood up for ourselves.”
With the playoff-clinching win, Brind’Amour becomes the 12th coach in NHL history — and only active coach — to make the playoffs in his first seven seasons.
“The playoffs is awesome, something we’ve played for all year,” Jarvis said. “To clinch tonight was huge and the way we did it was awesome.”
Next, the Hurricanes will travel to Detroit to take on the Red Wings. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
