Things have gone very well for the Carolina Hurricanes during their second-round series with the Washington Capitals. They've gotten excellent goaltending from Frederik Andersen, their depth scoring has been outstanding, and the power play is connecting. Outside of a slight speed bump in Game 2, the Canes have been in control.
With a 3-1 series lead and the chance to eliminate the Capitals in D.C. on Thursday night, it would be easy for the Hurricanes to take their foot off the gas. They did for the first half of Game 3, and it would've cost them if not for Andersen's incredible start on his way to a 4-0 shutout victory. They've weathered just about everything the Capitals have thrown at them.
Washington will throw everything they can at the Hurricanes
Every game from this point is an elimination game for Washington. There is no tomorrow if they lose on Thursday in Game 5. That's why I expect a barrage from the Capitals' top contributors, especially Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. Ovechkin finally got on the board in Game 4 with a 5-on-3 goal, while Wilson was very effective in Game 2 and has continued to be nuisance despite not producing.
I also expect bounce back games from their back end. The Capitals' defense has combined for five points in the series. John Carlson had a tough two games in Raleigh, especially in Game 3 when he was beaten twice on Carolina goals. Jakub Chychrun scored in Game 4 but has been largely quiet throughout the series.
The biggest improvement needs to come from goalie Logan Thompson. After looking nearly unbeatable in D.C. to begin the series, Thompson allowed a few soft goals in Games 3 and 4, giving the Canes' offense life. If we see the version of Thompson that began the series, we might be preparing for Game 6 in Raleigh on Saturday night.
The Hurricanes must match Washington's desperation
One thing that made Game 4's victory so good was how well the Hurricanes responded to Washington's goals during the third period. They refused to let Washington back into the game, allowing them to place the series in a stranglehold. That can't change with a big lead in the series. They need to play as if they're on the brink of elimination while remaining disciplined.
There is no reason for the Hurricanes to change their gameplan. They've been effective in just about every aspect of this series. There's no immediate reason for the Caniacs to be concerned about a potential negative outcome in Game 5. The worst-case scenario is that the team has to play another game at the Lenovo Center this weekend.
That being said, I'd appreciate if the Canes could finish the job on Thursday. Having some time before the conference finals and dealing with either Toronto or Florida would be nice. Obviously, there is still plenty of hockey to play before we can start worrying about that. There's a job in Washington D.C. that needs to be attended to first.