Capital’s No. 1 seed at the Eastern Conference after shooting the Hurricane 5-4 – Hockey Writer – Washington Capital

The Washington Capitals survived the Carolina Hurricanes’ comeback attempt after a 5-4 gunfight victory to ensure they earned their 50th victory in 2024-25. The first two teams in the Metropolitan Division reached the highest billing in exciting games at the Capital One Arena. Nine different goalkeepers filled the statistics table, including late game counts from Carolina State. Washington’s Pierre-Luc Dubois won the only goal in the shootout, which gave the capital a top seed in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Five minutes after the first phase, Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven broke the scoreless tie in the breaking game. The Carolina defense’s wrist was torn apart by Charlie Lindgren’s Nets and then popped up the backboard, which Andrei Svechnikov collected. The seven-year NHL veteran called Stankoven’s Stick and shot Lindgren on the blowing. Initially, he saved his arm before he thrust the puck into the net with his elbow. Two minutes later, Carolina was awarded the second goal after a collision between Jackson Blake and Tom Wilson, both players were awarded the lead with a 2-0 hurricane at the top of Lindgren and the puck across the thin red line. When the target was reviewed, officials determined that this was calculated because of Wilson’s contact with Blake.

During the opening period, Sean Walker was asked to impose a fine on Dubois. The 26-year-old striker lowered his lead 2-1 after Frederik Andersen deflected the puck. Dubois scored 20 points this season after sliding a fantastic centering feed on Andersen’s mat after getting an excellent centering feed at Andrew Mangiapane. The Hurricane tripled in the first phase at 15-5 in the form of a shooting, but brought only the slim one-ball advantage into the locker room.

Washington controlled the second phase of Capital One Arena with a 16-9 shot advantage and three unresolved goals. Capital forward Dylan Strome scored 2 in the 10:50 match in the second stage. Nick Dowd followed the goal four minutes later, hitting a loose puck past the Carolina mesh with 3:11 left in the middle frame, giving the Capitals the first lead at 3-2.

Related: NHL 2025 Playoffs/Elimination Scene – 04/10/2025

Tom Wilson added a career-high score in his 32nd goal of the season, which was stuffed into the Nets with a 4-2 Washington lead after 90 seconds. Wilson, the 2025 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, enjoyed his most successful offensive season in his NHL career, scoring 62 points with 32 goals and 32 assists in 76 games.

The Hurricane began a comeback early in the third phase, with a snapshot of Jordan Martinook passing through Lindgren to lead the Capitals 4-3. Seth Jarvis saved the game by knocking down Ovechkin’s empty net attempt before defeating his 31st goal on the other end of the ice. Jarvis sent a pass to Sabastian Aho on the blue line, then darted around the Capital Defender and positioned the return pass, which left Lingren helplessly preventing the puck from sliding into the net, resulting in a 4-4 score with 1:45 left in the regulations.

Seth Jarvis stopped the empty net attempt at one end and scored to tie the target on the other end! 🙌

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Washington’s Dubois scored in the first shootout attempt that night, with no other goals on the remaining five attempts. With a win, Washington won the best seeds of the Eastern Conference with a record of 50-19-9 and the remaining four games, including the upcoming Family and Family Series with Columbus Blue Jacket this weekend. Carolina fell to 46-27-5 and had equal games left in the regular season, including ending their home schedule through two games this weekend.