Carolina Hurricanes: 3 Keys to Road Victory in Game 5 in Washington

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) skates off the ice after scoring a game tying goal in the third period against the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) skates off the ice after scoring a game tying goal in the third period against the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 13: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) skates off the ice after scoring a game tying goal in the third period against the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 13: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) skates off the ice after scoring a game tying goal in the third period against the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Carolina Hurricanes have tied this series up at 2-2 and have momentum on their side after two excellent games at home, they need to win two more to move on to the second round, one has to come from the road.

In the first two games at Capital One Arena, the Carolina Hurricanes have seen the misfortune of bad officiating and saw close games slip away from them. They saw themselves in the series down 0-2 quickly and now it’s tied. How?

The Carolina Hurricanes desperately needed to tighten up the neutral zone, limit the Capitals offensive time, and improve their special teams. They’ve done just that, in Game 3, they shutout the Washington Capitals 5-0 and the highlight of appreciation goes to only allowing Washington to have one shot on goal in the 2nd period. They killed all four penalties they took, they dominated in hits 52-34, and scored twice on the power-play.

Avoiding hardship, the Hurricanes overcame the expected onslaught from the Capitals in Game 4. 17 seconds in, Warren Foegele lit the lamp early to put the Hurricanes up 1-0 early in the game. Foegele has been on fire lately, putting up 5 points in 4 games so far in this series. Foegele is now on the 2nd line and he has not disappointed so far.

In the second period, the Hurricanes were outplayed for the majority of the time. The Capitals out-shot the Hurricanes 14-9 and generated more quality chances than the Hurricanes did. The power-play for the Capitals would come through with Alexander Ovechkin scoring to tie the game because of the dreaded no stick, as Brock McGinn‘s stick was broken. Shades of Game 2.

Near the ending of the second period, despite being outplayed for most of the duration, the Capitals defense broke down as Nino Niederreiter gave a clean saucer to Teuvo Teravainen to break the tie once again and give comfort before going back to the locker room. Sebastian Aho also registered an assist on the play, giving all the forwards on the first line a point.

The Hurricanes defensive play and Petr Mrazek would steal the show in the third period, limiting the Capitals to 8 shots and Mrazek cleaning up quality chances. TJ Oshie suffered an injury in the third as he loses his balance from a Warren Foegele cross-check and is expected to miss the rest of the series.

There has been speculation about a Foegele suspension but NHL Player Safety will not be giving out a suspension to Foegele. Evgeny Kuznetsov almost tied the game late but was robbed by Petr Mrazek, with even more saves in the sequence to secure the Hurricanes tying the series 2-2.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have exceeded most expectations this season, they’ve now come from being two down in the series and now, they are going to Capital One Arena to attempt to take the lead in the series for the first time. What do they need to do?

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 15: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) reacts after a goal by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton (19) during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on April 15, 2019. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 15: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) reacts after a goal by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton (19) during a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on April 15, 2019. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Continue Special Team Success

The Hurricanes have definitely improved on their penalty-kill against a dangerous power-play that has caused nightmares to most teams this season, killing off 10 penalties in the last 11 penalties in the last three games. They silenced the Capitals power-play in Game 2 and 3, and at times on the penalty-kill, they actually go on the attack and force the Capitals to play on their heels.

This Hurricanes team not only just clears the puck, they hold on to the puck as long as they can, killing every single second they can before throwing it away for a line change. Their line changes have been excellent, not allowing worse odds on odd-man rushes. They don’t back down, they hold their ground in the neutral zone and take away almost every passing lane.

Not only has the Hurricanes penalty-kill improved, but their power-play has seen three goals in their last 12 power-plays, which is not that good, but definitely an improvement from zero out of three in Game 1.

Although the Hurricanes power-play may not score at times, it does give momentum to the Hurricanes bench and the Hurricanes will exhaust the Capitals defense, if they continue their tape-to-tape passing and dangerous shots.

Although, the special teams have improved, it is not enough to be satisfied with, the Hurricanes will need to channel even more energy to finish this series. As the Hurricanes will celebrate improvement, the Capitals will be intensely making changes as well, shuffling lines and changing strategy. The Hurricanes will need to adapt to the situation, if the environment changes.

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18: Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals leaves the ice following Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 18, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18: Alexander Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals leaves the ice following Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 18, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Take No Excuses

As the Carolina Hurricanes will be told their game has been well and to continue, the Washington Capitals are being told to change their game and adjust. Despite the TJ Oshie injury being obviously, an accident, and post-game interviews after Game 4 being topics of interests, the Capitals are expected to step up their physical game and play a rougher and grittier game.

The Hurricanes have been physical but they need to weather the storm, Ovechkin and Tom Wilson will be called upon to get the crowd in it early with goals and big hits, whatever they can bring. Michael Ferland and Jordan Martinook are out with injuries, unless a game-time decision is made otherwise. Everyone will need to put their hand into the circle and play together and lay hits and silence this Capital One Arena crowd from the puck drop.

Although, it is social media outcries for the Capitals players to target Warren Foegele for an accident in Game 4, it wouldn’t be much of a shock if Capitals players start placing hits and covering up Foegele and the Hurricanes’ stars.

The Hurricanes should not allow any excuses for dirty plays by the Capitals. Game 1 and 2 was enough, the Hurricanes need to respond and show that they will not be pushed around. This does not call for taking penalties and targeting players, but it does call for protesting the referees and intensifying physicality.

RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18:The Washington Capitals celebrate after a goal by Carolina Hurricanes left wing Warren Foegele (13) in the opening minute of the first period of Game Four of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 18:The Washington Capitals celebrate after a goal by Carolina Hurricanes left wing Warren Foegele (13) in the opening minute of the first period of Game Four of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

3. Shut The Crowd Up Early

The Carolina Hurricanes have given us evidence that scoring first wins you the game in this series. The Washington Capitals scored first in both Games 1 and 2, the Hurricanes scored first in Games 3 and 4, the team that scores first has tended to win the game. The Hurricanes will not be scoring for a rise out of the crowd this time, they will be scoring to silence the crowd and shut them up.

The Hurricanes thrived from that PNC Arena crowd, the Capitals should get a similar feeling (although it’s similar, it’s nowhere close to how great Hurricanes fans are at PNC Arena) and they will use it to channel their performance and fight through momentum adversity. As the keys to Game 3 involved striking early and especially first, the Hurricanes will need to do just that in Game 5.

Scoring first, and hopefully early, is not just the only key, but silencing this crowd will also involve dominating possession, shots, hits, and the special teams. The Hurricanes scoring first could maybe give way to another 5-0 route.

1. 19. 3. 109. Final

A trend needs to break to win this series and that trend needs to be a win on the road that is necessary either in Game 5 or Game 7 if Game 6 is to be won. Hopefully, this Carolina Hurricanes team will give us some breathing room and help our heartbeats by winning in Game 5 and possibly closing this series out in six games, but if seven games is the only way the Hurricanes want to win like in 2009, we’re fine with that.

Must Read. Carolina Hurricanes: 3 Things We've Learned So Far. light

Question for CC Readers: Do you think Warren Foegele nets a hat trick in Game 5? Why or why not?

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