We watched the banner fly to the rafters on Tuesday night as the Carolina Hurricanes opened their season against the Florida Panthers. After 60 minutes failed to yield a goal, the Panthers struck with less than five seconds left in overtime, dealing the Canes a stunning loss. The Canes settled for the point, but the sting would likely remain for a few days.
With any opening-night distractions behind them, the Canes couldn't allow themselves to sulk and let it linger. Instead, they turned their attention to tonight's battle, the first against a division opponent this season. Many feel that these teams are the ones to beat for the Metropolitan Division crown, and while it's still too early in the year to know that, it'll be another good test for the defending champs.
The Capitals won two of the three meetings in last season's series, including the lone game in Raleigh on November 11. The Canes responded by winning 3-2 in a shootout a month later in D.C., after Logan Stankoven tied the game late in regulation. The final meeting saw the Canes surrender a 3-0 lead on the road in late January, ending with Justin Sourdif's overtime winner.
Behind Enemy Lines: Washington Capitals
There was a little uncertainty in the nation's capital after going from division champs to outside the playoffs last season, especially with Alex Ovechkin set to become a free agent. Retirement was certainly on the table, so the Capitals got a bit aggressive in an effort to ensure they remained competitive in the Metropolitan Division.
They started by acquiring Jordan Kyrou from the Blues, sending Connor McMichael the other way as part of the package. Then, they traded for pending UFA Alex Tuch and extended him, taking the biggest fish off the market. I'm not sure if this is what convinced Ovechkin to return, or whether he was going to already, but he re-signed for one more year, too. Suddenly, the Capitals had a contender.
Along with their new additions, which also include former Columbus captain Boone Jenner, the Capitals still feature Tom Wilson, Jakob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and a strong goalie tandem, headed by Logan Thompson. They're a stout defensive unit, which now features rookie Cole Hutson. Tonight marks their season opener, so let's see if they show any rust, as the Canes did on Tuesday.
Injury Report
Carolina: Seth Jarvis remains out following shoulder surgery this offseason. He is still practicing with the team, and, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, a November return might not be out of the question.
Washington: Defenseman Rasmus Sandin is recovering from ACL surgery in April. He was expected to miss six to nine months, so it might be November or December before he's back in action.
Players to Watch
Aliaksei Protas: While the Hurricanes will have another Protas to deal with in his younger brother, Ilya, the elder brother has started to come into his own over the last two years. His numbers took a slight hit last season, but he's still a reliable scoring threat. Protas and his brother will likely be on a line together to begin the season, so it'll be up to the Hurricanes to counter that.
Dylan Strome: Joining the Washington Capitals has done wonders for Strome's career. While he dipped below 60 points for the first time since his days in Chicago, Strome is always in the thick of things against the Canes. He has 19 points in 25 contests, his third-highest total against any opponent. He'll be a big threat all night, too.
Sebastian Aho: I wasn't a huge fan of the top-line center's season opener. He took two bad penalties because he was a step behind, and he was unable to finish the good chances that could've turned the tide. I don't expect to see that version of Aho again tonight. Historically, Aho is very good against the Capitals, scoring 15 goals and 31 points in 34 regular-season meetings.
K'Andre Miller: The offense might've been dormant for most of Opening Night, but the defense was on point all night. Miller was at the forefront of the effort, making several key plays to break up looks. Now, I would like to see him do that same thing on the offensive side. Miller was very streaky in the offensive zone last season. I would like to see that change in year two.
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