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Carolina Hurricanes: Drop Important Game against Capitals

By Omar Abdelgawad

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton (19) and Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) watcha puck fly toward the net during the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals NHL game March 26, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 26: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton (19) and Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) watcha puck fly toward the net during the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals NHL game March 26, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 26: Nick Jensen #3 of the Washington Capitals controls the puck against Saku Maenalanen #8 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at Capital One Arena on March 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 26: Nick Jensen #3 of the Washington Capitals controls the puck against Saku Maenalanen #8 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at Capital One Arena on March 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Don’t rely on the fore-check to generate offense

Dump and chase. For the most part it has been how the Carolina Hurricanes have generated their offense for most of the year. Their excellent fore-check has allowed them to buzz in the offensive zone against defensively weak teams all season long. But it doesn’t seem to fair well against teams that have better defenses matched with elite offense.

It showed against the Tampa Bay lighting and more recently the Washington Capitals. Both teams have engaged defenses that like to snuff out any attempt at the fore-check and allow their offense to get behind the defense and create breakaways and odd-man rushes. It was exactly this that generated the Oveckin goal.

The dump and chase method of offense has its advantages, it ensures that the puck is spending more time in the offensive zone which would lead to more offense naturally. It also naturally promotes a more physical game, one that the Carolina Hurricanes excel at thanks to players like Andrei Svechnikov and Michael Ferland.

That said, this team is getting better at finding each other and giving their skilled players more chances to be open and play the puck. This generates more high danger offensive opportunities, and when it comes to life on the ice it looks amazing. Unfortunately, it has been a while since we’ve seen this team take those kinds of chances consistently.

If the Carolina Hurricanes were to carry the puck more often than dump and chase, there might be a few more offensive opportunities. As it stands, the dump, chase, and fore-check seems to be the way to go. It does work most of the time, but when facing an elite team like the Lightning or the Capitals it simply will not work.

When The Carolina Hurricanes did take control of the puck and enter the zone with control, they were actually better positioned to generate offensive chances. The only goal on the night for Hurricanes came on a delayed penalty where the Hurricanes carried the puck over the line to avoid a Capitals player from touching it and getting a whistle. That opened the ice for Dougie Hamilton to take a shot and find the net.

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