CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS April 19, 2019 - NHL.com
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CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
After up-and-down rookie season, Canes’ Warren Foegele finding his stride in playoffs
By Jonathan M. Alexander Foegele said it was tough during the first few months of the
season, but his teammates and coaches kept telling him to
Warren Foegele was not expecting Jaccob Slavin to pass it continue to work hard and things would fall into place.
to him.
It took a while, but eventually it did. Foegele has five goals in
As Slavin raced down the ice, there was no one in front of his last six games dating back to the regular season.
him — only the Washington Capitals’ goalie, Braden Holtby.
Slavin had the open shot, but at the last second he passed to “Eighty-two games is a long season. He’s never played that,
Foegele, who was to his left, and the rookie forward scored. ever,” Canes captain Justin Williams said. “So first year there
are ups and downs. At the end of the year everyone’s stats
“I was just trying to go to the net hard and that was a great are back to zero and he’s been great.”
play from (Justin Williams) to Slavin there,” Foegele said.
Foegele, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left wing and native of
The goal occurred 17 seconds into Game 4 of the Eastern Markham, Ont., was drafted in the third round of the 2014
Conference playoff series and gave the Hurricanes an early NHL draft. In September, it wasn’t initially clear whether he
1-0 lead. It was the fastest game-opening goal and period- would make the Hurricanes’ roster. But Foegele earned a
opening goal in franchise playoff history. spot after the preseason.
Because of injuries to forwards Andrei Svechnikov and “From day one it’s been rewarding to see a guy come to
Micheal Ferland, Foegele has gotten more minutes in the camp, not really sure where he would fit in and just — you’ve
last two games. He played a series-high 17 minutes and four got to keep him and you’ve got to play him,” Canes coach
seconds Thursday in a 2-1 win over the Capitals at PNC Rod Brind’Armour said. “He’s earned his ice time. He works
Arena. The Hurricanes tied the series 2-2 and Foegele’s hard, he does what you ask of him.”
game-opening goal was a big part of it.
Foegele, who often deflects credit from himself to his
Through four playoff games, Foegele now leads the team teammates, hopes to continue to make a contribution as the
with three goals and is tied for the team lead with five points. Hurricanes head back to D.C. for Game 5 on Saturday. The
He has been one of the Hurricanes best offensive players in Hurricanes will need him, especially if Svechnikov and
this series, especially in their two wins. Ferland continue to miss time. Foegele said these were the
Foegele scored two goals Monday in a 5-0 win over the moments he has dreamed of all his life.
Capitals, the Canes’ first home playoff game since 2009. Just as they did during the regular season, his teammates
Foegele’s start to the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs is similar to and coaches believe in him, too.
his start to the 2018-19 season. Hot. He scored three goals “He works his tail off,” Williams said. “He’s big. I feel like he’s
in the first four games, but he later hit the rookie “wall.” kind of built for the playoffs. He’s been a horse for us and I
Foegele did not score a fourth goal until 28 games later. know he’s going to continue to be.”
Canes gut out 2-1 win over Caps to even series 2-2
By Chip Alexander seconds of regulation, banging bodies, whacking at the puck,
looking to force overtime.
It started grandly for the Carolina Hurricanes, Warren
Foegele scoring 17 seconds into the game. But the Canes wouldn’t allow it. In winning the past two
games they have proven they will stand up to the defending
The second period ended perfectly for the Hurricanes, Teuvo Stanley Cup champions, whether it’s a 19-year-old rookie
Teravainen a blur down the slot in scoring with 28 seconds challenging one of the NHL’s biggest stars or a team
left. determined to make their first playoff appearance since 2009
But playoff games take a full 60 minutes to decide -- or memorable and meaningful.
longer. The games are tight, the hits harder, open ice “We are a pretty confident team,” said Teravainen, who was
tougher to find and everything hard-earned. So it was bloodied in the final frantic seconds. “When we get rolling we
Thursday between the Hurricanes and Washington Capitals feel like nothing can stop us. But we have to be careful and
in another game rippling with tension and emotion in PNC not get too high. We have to stay focused.”
Arena.
The series shifts back to Washington for Game 5 on
It ended with the Canes winning 2-1, evening the Eastern Saturday and the Caps will be without forward T.J. Oshie,
Conference series at two games apiece. It ended with the
Caps swarming around Canes goalie Petr Mrazek in the final
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
who was injured after being knocked into the boards by “Unfortunate play and you never want to see anybody get
Foegele with 5:08 left in regulation. hurt,” Foegele said. “I was definitely shaken a bit there. It’s
not the right time to take a penalty. But all along everybody’s
Foegele was called for a boarding minor -- Canes coach Rod been sticking up for each other when somebody makes a
Brind’Amour disagreeing with the call while Caps coach mistake, and the boys helped me there.”
Todd Reirden wanted a stiffer penalty -- but Carolina killed
off the penalty to preserve the 2-1 lead as Mrazek stopped a Ovechkin’s power-play goal at 10:35 of the second pulled the
shot in tight by Evgeny Kuznetsov moments before the Caps into a 1-1 tie, Ovechkin leaping into the glass, but
power play expired. Teravainen had an answer before the period ended.
Reirden said Oshie, who was bent over in pain after hitting On a well-executed rush, Nino Niederreiter took a pass from
the wall, would be out “quite some time” with an upper-body Sebastian Aho just over the Washington blue line and found
injury. But the Canes have their own attrition concerns as Teravainen skating free between Andre Burakovsky and
forward Jordan Martinook did not play after the first period Brooks Orpik between the circles. Teravainen beat goalie
because of a lower-body injury. Braden Holtby to the glove side and the place was loud --
very loud -- again.
Forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Micheal Ferland were
injured in Game 3 -- Svechnikov facing off with Alex “Obviously it’s tough to rebound from that, but I thought our
Ovechkin in a fight that left Svechnikov knocked out and in guys didn’t even flinch. We kept playing hard,” Holtby said.
the NHL’s concussion protocol. Now, Martinook.
The energy level again was high at PNC Arena. Maybe not
Mrazek, who shut out the Caps 5-0 in Game 3, faced 31 quite like Monday night and Game 3, when the decibel count
shots Thursday but only Ovechkin could beat him on a was off the charts, but that was the Canes’ first home playoff
second-period power play. It also helped that the Canes’ game since 2009.
defensive corps, with Calvin de Haan back in the lineup after
missing the first three playoff games with an injury, was That game had Svechnikov being knocked out in the fight
active and positionally sound, quickly getting sticks on pucks, with Ovechkin, an ugly scene that Brind’Amour said left him
denying scoring chances. sick to his stomach. With the Canes also having lost Ferland,
forward Patrick Brown was recalled from the Charlotte
“I can’t say enough about our group. They just battle,” Checkers of the AHL and thrust into his first Stanley Cup
Brind’Amour said. “They’re giving everything they can. Our D playoff game Thursday.
were really solid tonight. They really held the fort down and
obviously our goaltending came up big.” Then, Martinook went down. The veteran forward banged
into defenseman Dmitry Orlov behind the Caps net, their
Foegele’s goal, on the opening shift of the game, had the knees bumping and then Martinook’s right heel slamming
crowd of 19,202, a PNC Arena record for a hockey game, into the end boards. Slow to get up, Martinook finally made
rumbling. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin, with a burst of speed his way to the Canes bench and the locker room.
up the middle, led the rush and Foegele was there for the
finish. To everyone’s surprise, Martinook returned before the first
period ended and played. He then tried to skate before the
It was Foegele’s third goal of the series -- the 23-year-old is second period began but was unable to go, angrily smashing
quickly making a name for himself -- and carved out a piece his stick into the wall in the runway back to the room.
of franchise history as the fastest score to start a game or a
period in a playoff game. But the Canes found a way. It’s a 2-2 series.
But Foegele did have to sweat out the two minutes for the “This group has been believing in each other,” Foegele said.
boarding penalty late in the game. That wasn’t easy. “Everyone is stepping up. All of us believe we can win. That’s
our mindset.”
Capitals head home with momentum gone
By Ken Tysiac period in game four of the first round Stanley Cup series
game on Thursday, April 18, 2019 at the PNC Arena in
Alex Ovechkin’s frustration was obvious Thursday night as Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals
prepared to leave Raleigh with their playoff series lead After coming to Raleigh several days ago with a 2-0 series
erased and one of their best players injured. lead, the Capitals left North Carolina in disarray. They were
dominated in a 5-0 Carolina win on Monday before losing a
“It’s a wakeup call for all of us,” the Capitals captain said tight game and watching forward T.J. Oshie leave the ice
after the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2-1 win at PNC Arena tied the with an upper body injury late in the Hurricanes’ 2-1 win
best-of-seven, first-round NHL playoff series at 2-2. “You Thursday.
can’t hope one guy is going to make a save or score a goal.
You have to go out there and play your game. If you don’t Oshie crashed into the boards and crumpled to the ice with
want to do it, don’t play.” 5:08 remaining in the third period on a play where Carolina’s
Warren Foegele was called for boarding.
Washington Capital’s Alex Ovechkin (8) yells at Carolina
Hurricanes captain Justin Williams (14) during the third
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
“He will not be with our team for a while,” Washington coach intermission, you’ve just got to get it out and play simple. But
Todd Reirden said. “He will not be playing anytime soon.” it didn’t happen and they scored.”
Reirden said the team will know more about Oshie’s Washington couldn’t get the equalizer despite having big
timetable Friday after he is examined further. Oshie is a opportunities when Oshie drew the penalty against Foegele
significant loss for the Capitals. He totaled 25 goals and 29 and Evgeny Kuznetsov had a point-blank shot seconds after
assists in 69 regular-season games this season and had one the penalty was killed. Petr Mrazek turned away that chance
goal and one assist in the playoff series. and stopped 48 of the 49 shots he faced in two games in
Raleigh, but Ovechkin said the Carolina goalie wasn’t doing
After Monday’s loss, he was moved from the second line to anything special.
the first to play with Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom in
hopes of reviving Washington’s offense. The move paid off “He’s a good goalie,” Ovechkin said, “but we have to be
when he drew a penalty on Teuvo Teravainen in the second better.”
period after getting behind the Carolina defense.
The Capitals have been in difficult playoff situations before,
Ovechkin converted on that power-play with a goal that tied including losing the first two games of the playoffs at home
the score with 9:25 remaining in the second period. last year and a seven-game win over Tampa Bay in the
Eastern Conference finals en route to winning the Stanley
That period was Washington’s best in the two games played Cup. But that doesn’t make it any easier.
in Raleigh, as the Capitals outshot Carolina 14-9. But it
ended with a demoralizing breakdown when Teravainen “Every playoff series is hard, and that’s what makes you
skated untouched through the middle of the Washington better,” Holtby said. “That’s what’s fun about it, the
zone to take a pass from Nino Niederreiter and beat goalie challenge. So it’s a big challenge to go home on our home
Braden Holtby on the glove side 28 seconds before the ice and play our best game there. It will be a really fun
second intermission. challenge.”
“That just can’t happen,” said Washington defenseman
Jonas Siegenthaler. “Especially before you go to the
The Canes’ Finns team up for key goal in Game 4 win
By Joe Giglio “It was a great play by Aho to speed through the middle and
drop to me by the blue line,” Niederreiter said. “I had a
Teuvo Teravainen was so open, he wasn’t about to question chance to find Turbo down the middle.”
why.
Teravainen sped into the Washington zone and Niederreiter
Teravainen’s goal, off of a perfect pass from Nino put the pass right on the tape of his stick. Washington
Niederreiter, with 27.9 seconds left in the second period forward Andre Burakovsky tried to chase Teravainen down
proved to be the difference in Game 4 on Thursday. from behind but he was too late to help goalie Braden Holtby.
The Carolina Hurricanes edged the Washington Capitals 2-1 Teravainen didn’t waste any motion. He went to his forehand
to even the series at 2-2. and beat Holtby to the glove side.
Just don’t ask Teravainen the details about how he got so Suddenly, the complexion of the game changed. It was the
open. type of end-of-half (or period) momentum-changer Dean
“Actually, I don’t know what happened there,” Teravainen Smith would have loved.
said. “I saw Nino got the puck and I was a little open, so I just “That just can’t happen,” Washington defenseman Jonas
took a couple of steps and I got a pretty good chance.” Siegenthaler said. “Especially before you go to the
After Washington had dominated the second period, and tied intermission, you’ve just got to get it out and play simple. But
the game at 1-1 on Alex Ovechkin’s power-play goal at it didn’t happen and they scored.”
10:35, it looked like the game would go to the third period The goal was the first for the reunited forward combo of Aho
tied. and Teravainen. The two Finns have played regularly
But the Canes caught the Caps in a late line change and together in the past but were split up in the second half of the
Sebastian Aho got the puck in Canes’ zone from Dougie regular season.
Hamilton. After the Canes struggled to get their top lines going in the
“Great play by Dougie, it all started with him,” Aho said. first two games of the series in Washington, Carolina coach
“They were chasing and I got some open ice in the middle.” Rod Brind’Amour put them back together.
Aho skated towards the blue line on the far boards and In Monday’s 5-0 rout, the Canes didn’t need much from their
attracted three Washington players. Aho dropped the puck to two top scorers from the regular season. They did each have
Niederreiter. an assist in the win.
With the game tied at 1-1 on Thursday, and all of the
momentum on Washington’s side, the Canes best players
came through in the clutch.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
“I think we played a solid two games,” Aho said of his line. “It’s a just a big goal overall,” Teravainen said. “Any goal is a
“First of all, we’ve defended well. That’s how it has all big goal, especially since I took a penalty and they scored.
started. We’ve just trust that we’re going to get our one or It’s good to get on the board after.”
two chances a game and we’re going to bury them.”
Big goal. Now the series is even with the Canes headed to
Aho broke his long scoring drought, 15 games, in Game 2 Washington for Game 5 on Saturday. Just don’t ask
with a goal. Teravainen’s goal on Thursday was his first of Teravainen how he did it.
the playoffs.
“I got pretty lucky,” he said. “I just closed my eyes and put it
in.”
Hurricanes grow up, even series up
By Luke DeCock And the Hurricanes certainly need more production from
Jordan Staal and Justin Williams, even if Staal’s two-way
It wasn’t so much that the Carolina Hurricanes looked game continues to be outstanding.
unprepared for the playoffs, or unready, or overawed. Only
by comparison to the defending Stanley Cup champions did But the goal changed the game, tilting the ice back the
they seem to shrink in the face of the Washington Capitals’ Hurricanes’ way in the third period, even as the Hurricanes
experience and savvy and accumulated wisdom. had to play yet another game short-handed, this time when
Jordan Martinook exited with a right leg injury, after losing
No longer. The baptism is complete. This series is on even Andrei Svechnikov and Micheal Ferland.
terms in every way, including how comfortable each team is
with the fury and physicality. If the champions thought this And praise, again, for Petr Mrazek, who actually faced a
would be easy, they have a fight on their hands now. significant workload in this one but was no less up to the
challenge. It’s hard to recall now that the Hurricanes went
Four playoff games is an eternity. Buoyed by two electric into the season buying the goalie equivalent of scratch-off
home crowds, galvanized by the loss of one of their most tickets only to end up with a goalie who not only carried them
popular players, able to forecheck the Capitals into down the stretch but has carried them in the postseason,
submission one game and defend on their heels the next, the right down to a late Capitals power play.
Hurricanes are no longer a bunch of playoff rookies. And this
series is going six games. At least. “Petr, Petr, Petr,” Brett Pesce chanted, imitating the crowd as
he made his way past Mrazek’s locker to the weight room.
After dominating the Capitals on Monday, the Hurricanes had
to fend them off in Thursday’s 2-1 win, playing more in their The tone and tenor of this series changed completely in the
own end but only allowing the one Alex Ovechkin goal on the two games in Raleigh, which of course isn’t uncommon, but
power play, and only because Brock McGinn had to give up an overtime goal like the one Brooks Orpik scored in Game 2
his stick to Trevor van Riemsdyk and found himself can all but end a series before it gets started, turning a
defenseless in the face of Ovechkin’s favorite shot from his chance to steal a win on the road into a backbreaking loss.
favorite spot. The Hurricanes shook that off, produced one of their best
performances of the season on Monday and played with a
Sudden postseason superstar Warren Foegele scored on the poise that belied their experience on Thursday.
game’s first shift and Teuvo Teravainen announced his
arrival in the series at the end of the second period, never a “It wasn’t our best game but for me it was our best, just
more timely goal since the Hurricanes had given an arena- playing in an uncomfortable game, not pretty, just hanging in
record crowd of 19,202 very little to applaud until that point. there,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That’s
Credit on the goal goes also to Nino Niederreiter for the really what it felt like we were doing.”
pinpoint pass to Teravainen cutting down the slot and
Sebastian Aho for a difficult entry into the zone. So the Hurricanes will be back here on Monday, either with
the opportunity to clinch or stave off elimination. There will be
The Hurricanes have been waiting, desperately, for that line another home game at PNC, at least one. They have earned
to do something, anything. It was an entirely appropriate that much.
moment to exert an impact, the Capitals having had a
decided edge to that point. Whatever they needed to learn, they have learned. They are
in their moment now, every bit as much as the Capitals. It’s
Perhaps it just took this long, 220 minutes and 40 seconds, anyone’s series.
for that group to feel comfortable in these circumstances.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
Caps, Canes see hit on Oshie differently, but result is the same
By Luke DeCock Martinook needed help off the ice and tried to return later in
the first, but wasn’t effective on one leg. After taking a spin
A series that already offered no shortage of controversy, on the ice to start the second period, Martinook returned to
arguments over officiating and ugly injuries managed to the dressing room and smashed his stick against the wall in
conjure another Thursday night. The Washington Capitals the hallway.
lost T.J. Oshie apparently for the rest of the series with what
looked like a shoulder or arm injury after a slight push from “I guess you could say he reaggravated it,” Brind’Amour said.
behind by Warren Foegele sent Oshie awkwardly into the “He wanted to give it a go, and he couldn’t.”
boards late in the third period of the Hurricanes’ 2-1 win.
Svechnikov (concussion protocol) remains out, although he
There were two very divergent views of the play: Hurricanes went through a full on-ice workout Thursday morning and
coach Rod Brind’Amour thought it was only a penalty could potentially return for Game 5 in Washington on
because Oshie was injured; Capitals coach Todd Reirden Saturday, hard as that would have been to believe Monday.
essentially argued for Foegele to be suspended. Ferland (“upper body”) also remains out.
“It was a defenseless player that was quite a distance from WELCOME BACK Calvin de Haan made his return to the
the boards,” Reirden said. “That’s an extremely dangerous lineup after missing six games with an “upper body” injury,
play. He will not be with our team for a while. He won’t be replacing Haydn Fleury alongside Trevor van Riemsdyk. De
playing anytime soon. That’s something that’s going to be Haan played 12:21, mostly in the first two periods as
reviewed by the league.” Brind’Amour shortened his bench in the third.
Brind’Amour disagreed. “I thought he was solid,” Brind’Amour said. “I thought he put
some good minutes in. It’s tough when you’ve been out for a
“I thought he just pushed him,” Brind’Amour said. “There long time and have to come into a playoff game. That’s as
wasn’t a penalty being called, and then obviously he crashed tough as it can get. He gave us some good minutes and I
into the boards hard and that’s when the arm goes up would hope or assume he would get better as we go along.”
because he stayed down. You don’t like to see that. I think
more than anything he was just not ready for the hit. TAILWINDS John Forslund will move from the FS Carolinas
booth to the NBC booth for Saturday’s Game 5, anchoring
“We see a lot of hits that are way, way worse than that. I NBC’s national coverage along with analysts Eddie Olczyk
think he just went in awkward. I don’t know the extent of the and Pierre McGuire. With no FS Carolinas simulcast, Mike
injury or whatever but he barely hit him, I thought. He gave Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy will handle the Hurricanes radio
him a little shove but it certainly wasn’t what you were seeing broadcast. … Thursday’s attendance of 19,202 set a new
out here all series.” PNC Arena record for a hockey game. … Teuvo Teravainen
ANOTHER LOSS Already missing Andrei Svechnikov and needed stitches under his nose after getting high-sticked in
Micheal Ferland, the Carolina Hurricanes lost yet another the face with the Washington net empty; no penalty was
forward in Game 4. Jordan Martinook reaggravated a called.
nagging right leg injury after an awkward but upright crash
into the end boards in the first period.
Assessing Game 3’s place in Hurricanes playoff history
By Luke DeCock That game was another milestone win, the Game 4 overtime
win over the New Jersey Devils in 2001 that avoided a
Amid the unbelievable release of Monday night’s blowout of potential sweep and helped extend the series to six games.
the Washington Capitals, with one glaring exception an ideal The Hurricanes had lost the first three games of the series
way to put an end to a 10-year playoff drought, it was easy to and two key players – Shane Willis and Ron Francis – to
overrate where that game fits in the Carolina Hurricanes’ Scott Stevens hits, not dissimilar from Alex Ovechkin’s
sporadic but storied postseason history. knockout of Andrei Svechnikov on Monday, albeit in the open
Certainly there were games with more on the line, more ice.
drama, more surprising twists, more goals – but had any The ensuing brawls of Game 3 gave way to a tight-checking
ever been more needed, at that particular point in time, than Game 4, and there was still some water on the ice when
a 5-0 win in what has turned out to be a bitter, nasty series? overtime began with the score tied 2-2. Sami Kapanen, at
In the sober light of a few days’ reflection, it’s easier to put the right point shooting toward the Zamboni entrance, had to
Game 3 in its proper historical context, although that remains double-clutch as the puck skidded in a puddle. That gave
in flux, depending on what happens in the rest of the series Rod Brind’Amour time to take up position in front of Martin
and the rest of the postseason. Indeed, its closest analogue Brodeur, and the rest is history.
in Hurricanes playoff history seemed reasonably momentous It was the first playoff win at what is now known as PNC
at the time, only to grow exponentially in meaning as time’s Arena and after the Hurricanes went up and won Game 5 at
arrow flew over the horizon. the Meadowlands, they came home for Game 6 and were
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
decidedly outplayed by the eventual Stanley Cup champions. played, and not just in this series. And there’s too far to go
But in the final minute of that game, the crowd rose and gave and not enough yet on the line to get into the real pantheon,
the home team a standing ovation, the first real bonding with the Miracle at Molson and Game 3 of the Detroit series
moment between team and market after a rough first few and the Game 7s in 2006 and the Game 7s in 2009.
years in North Carolina.
But having waited that long for that moment, it certainly
Without that ovation and atmosphere, does Brind’Amour re- delivered for a fan base that has endured too much
sign that fall? Do the Hurricanes go to the Stanley Cup finals meaningless hockey. Maybe that’s enough to ask.
in 2002? Survive the lockout in 2004? Win the Cup in 2006?
There have been more important playoff games in the
Everything that happened through the final game of the 2011 Hurricanes’ history, but few as impactful as Game 4 in 2001.
season, when the Hurricanes’ wave crested and started to It’s possible that Monday could someday take its place
recede, only to be rebuilt now, started with Game 4 in 2001. alongside it. It’s probably more likely it won’t. But for a few
days, at least, it was nice to imagine it might.
History may have a similar verdict about Game 3 of this
series, or it may not. There’s too much hockey yet to be
‘This is when it counts’: Warren Foegele’s knack for big moments on full display in
Hurricanes’ series-tying win
By Sara Civian can usually find Foegele, whom teammates describe as one
of the hardest workers, on the ice long after skates and
It was Feb. 8, 2019, and the Hurricanes had just won their practices are over. Sometimes he’s doing pushups.
first game at Madison Square Garden after 16 consecutive
losses in the building. It was one of the many “curses” He started his rookie season on a tear, earning a role out of
Carolina reversed en route to the big one this season — its training camp then scoring four goals in his first five NHL
first playoff berth in a decade. games (continuing from a call-up last season) to set a
franchise record. There was talk of a Calder winner in the
They were blasting “Empire State of Mind” in the locker making, of a permanent first-line role.
room, yeah, but that was someone else’s troll job. The
unlikely hero of the game, Warren Foegele, barely heard the Then he went the next 27 games without a goal. He
music. continued the rest of the regular season with inconsistency
on the scoresheet (10-5-15 in 77 games played), but
Just like he barely cared that he was the one to reverse strength in terms of intangibles. No one wanted to hear it
some silly “curse” inherited from teams past he wasn’t on back when the Canes couldn’t buy an actual goal, but the
with rosters full of guys he didn’t know. bottom-six regular ended up 16th in the league for penalties
“When was our last loss here?” Foegele asked postgame. “I drawn with 32. That’s a tie with stars around the league such
think it was like, 20-something years, right? Yeah. So for us, as first-line center Mat Barzal and first-line winger David
we just worry about each game. We don’t worry that we Pastrnak. It’s pretty ridiculous that Barzal logged 1,469.40
haven’t won here in a while.” TTOI and Pastrnak logged 1237,45 to Foegele’s 962.01.
Isn’t it kinda sweet though, that you were the one to reverse Still, frustration was brewing because the scoring chances
the curse? kept coming throughout the season, but the results did not. It
was more important to Brind’Amour that Foegele developed
“Yeah,” he laughed. “Yeah, I guess. I don’t really know the long-term winning habits and didn’t start gripping his stick too
history that much, I seriously don’t know that much about it. It tight than it was for him to start ramping up his production.
was just nice to get another two points.” The extended morning skates and pushups continued, but
It’d probably felt like 20 years for most Canes fans, but it was they weren’t served with a side of guilt.
actually nine, considering the last time the Hurricanes won at Fast-forward four months later. It’s April 18, 2019, and the
MSG before then was Oct. 20. Canes just tied their Round 1 playoff series vs. the Caps with
Foegele had no clue. a 2-1 win at PNC Arena. Who would’ve thunk Mr. Game
Seven himself, Justin Williams, would be describing Foegele
The moment that spurred so much ignorant bliss would later like this: “He’a a prototypical playoff guy. He works his tail
tell us even more about how head coach Rod Brind’Amour off. He’s big. I feel like he’s kind of built for playoffs. He’s
has been able to coach this team to so much catharsis. The been a horse for us, and I know he’s going to continue to
fact that Foegele didn’t know and didn’t care shows be.”
Brind’Amour wasn’t shoving the past down the new Canes’
throats or shaming them into high-pressure situations. Foegele has three goals and two assists for five points in
four playoff games. He finished off Jaccob Slavin’s leg work
He has respected this group as the new generation that it is, 17 seconds into Game 4 on Thursday for the fastest game-
and it has paid him back with the hard work he expects. You opening and period-opening goal in franchise postseasonCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
history. It crowned him the fifth rookie in franchise history to then he’s earned his ice time. He works hard, he does what
score in back-to-back playoff games, joining Scott Young he has to. Yes, you’re happy to see those guys succeed.”
(1989), Todd Krygier (1990), Brad Shaw (1990) and Erik
Cole (2002). You can still expect Foegele out there with a few others
when the next morning skate has come and gone, just
Back to breaking records and reversing curses he didn’t maybe with a bigger smile.
even know existed.
That is, of course, if he doesn’t get suspended for this late-
“I think I’m a pretty aggressive guy in these moments,” game boarding that sent T.J. Oshie into the room and out of
Foegele said. “I love these moments, I think all of us in this this series:
room love these moments. This is when it counts. This is
when it matters.” He got a two-minute minor at the time which the Canes killed
off. As you can imagine, the opposing coaches had different
It makes total sense when you think about it. While so much opinions.
playoff coaching revolves around matching up against the
Sebastian Ahos and the Alex Ovechkins, it’s often that out- Capitals head coach Todd Reirden: “It was a defenseless
of-nowhere hero who is able to find a hole in the matchups player that was quite a distance from the boards. That’s an
and cement himself into niche lore. That’s why depth, or the extremely dangerous play and he (Oshie) will not be with our
lack of it, is such a talking point during the playoffs. Leave it team anytime soon … that’s something that’s going to be
to the low-key elite penalty-drawer to find the tiny hole in reviewed by the league. I just know that a defenseless player
your plan. that’s a distance from the boards, that can’t protect himself is
in a vulnerable spot, and as a result, we won’t be having one
“From Day 1, it’s been rewarding to see a guy show up to of our key players for quite some time.”
camp not really sure where he would fit in, then it was just,
‘You gotta keep him, you gotta play him,'” Brind’Amour said Brind’Amour: “I thought he just pushed him. It wasn’t a
after Game 4. “Today’s game (the NHL) is tough because of penalty being called, then (Oshie) crashed into the boards
the way contracts are set up (going into training camp). A lot hard, then that’s when the arm went up. You don’t like to see
of times the team is already kind of set up, on your lap. That that, but more than anything he was just not ready for the hit.
wasn’t the case this year — we had spots open, and you You see a lot of hits that were way, way worse than that. I
love to have that, you know? When you go, ‘Who’s the guy think he just went in awkward. He barely hit him, he gave him
that’s earned the right to be here?’ We’ve been saying it all a little shove, but it certainly wasn’t what we’ve been seeing
along that’s what he did. He’s earned the right to be here, out here.”
Game on: Hurricanes beat Caps 2-1 to even series
Cory Lavalette Warren Foegele scored 17 seconds into the game, sending
the already-amped home crowd into a frenzy, and Teuvo
RALEIGH — With the Stanley Cup favorite Tampa Bay Teravainen scored the game-winner in the final seconds of
Lightning and perennial threat Pittsburgh Penguins swept out the second period to help the Hurricanes even their first-
of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the defending round series with Washington at two games apiece with a 2-
champion Washington Capitals were suddenly being painted 1 win Thursday in front of a record standing-room-only crowd
as favorites in the Eastern Conference and a strong of 19,202 at PNC Arena.
candidate to repeat.
“There’s a lot of belief in this group,” Teravainen said after
Thursday morning’s The Washington Post Express even the win. “I feel like from the outside, a lot of people don’t
featured a cover showing Capitals captain Alexander believe us. But in the inside here, everybody believes.”
Ovechkin skating toward an illuminated Stanley Cup with the
title “Theirs For The Taking,” with a subhead that highlighted The Hurricanes will return to the nation’s capital for Game 5
the Lightning and Penguins exiting the postseason early. on Saturday night, looking to carry momentum from back-to-
back home wins — in front of crowds that were reminiscent
The Carolina Hurricanes look ready to write a story of their of past playoff madness in Raleigh — and turn it into success
own. on the road.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
“All we’ve done is we’ve held serve,” captain Justin Williams The Hurricanes played the final two periods without Jordan
said. “We’re going to have to, obviously, take care of our Martinook, who was injured when he crashed awkwardly into
home and we’re going to have to get one there. We know the boards on an attempted hit. Brind’Amour said Martinook
that. Hopefully it’ll be the next one, but if it’s not we’ll keep may have reaggravated a season-long injury he has been
plugging.” dealing with.
The Hurricanes seized momentum in Game 4 early, igniting The Capitals also lost a key player, when a Foegele shove
the crowd when Foegele scored on the game’s first shift. from behind on T.J. Oshie led to the Capitals winger crashing
into the boards and suffering an upper-body injury. Coach
Defenseman Jaccob Slavin led an end-to-end rush and gave Todd Reirden would only say Oshie “would not be playing
the puck to Williams, who returned the puck to Slavin. Slavin any time soon,” and he called from the league to look into
tapped the puck to Foegele — moved up into the top six Foegele’s hit for further discipline.
because of injuries suffered in Game 3 to Andrei Svechnikov
and Micheal Ferland — who whacked into the net for his Foegele was given a boarding minor, but Carolina killed off
third goal of the series. the penalty and survived a Capitals flurry after the penalty
expired, with Petr Mrazek (30 saves) again making standout
“It just shows our depth,” defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. stops to preserve the lead.
“Everyone wants more opportunity, so when you get it, take
advantage of it. I think that’s like Foegele right now. He had A frustrated Ovechkin wasn’t willing to give Mrazek much
an opportunity at the start (of the season), did pretty well, credit after the game.
and he’s getting it now and he’s producing.”
“Nothing, nothing,” Ovechkin responded when asked what
Foegele now has three goals and five points in the series’ Mrazek is doing to shut down the Capitals. “We didn’t play
first four games. our way. Nothing special. He’s a good goalie, but we have to
be better.”
The Capitals tied the game just past the midway point when
Ovechkin got his second goal of the series with a power play Brind’Amour, despite seeing his team win the last two
blast from his patented spot at the left circle. games, thinks the Hurricanes need to be better, too.
It looked like Washington had seized momentum, but — as “We found our way all year, so we’ll see.”
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour is fond of saying — the
Capitals “took a breath” in the final minute of the middle Notes: Calvin de Haan returned to the lineup, playing for the
frame. first time since he was injured March 31 in Pittsburgh. Haydn
Fleury was scratched to make room for him. … With
Sebastian Aho carried the puck into the Washington zone Svechnikov and Ferland hurt, Saku Maenalanen returned to
and fed it to Nino Niederreiter. Niederreiter spotted the lineup, while Patrick Brown made his NHL playoff debut.
Teravainen rocketing through the slot, got him the puck, and … Game 5 in Washington will be at 8 p.m. on NBC, while
Teravainen wristed his shot past Braden Holtby (22 saves) to Game 6 back in Raleigh will be Monday (time to be
make it 2-1 with just 28 seconds left in the second period. determined. Game 7, if necessary, would be Wednesday
back at Capital One Arena.
“I saw Nino got the puck and I was a little open, so I just took
a couple steps and I had a pretty good chance,” Teravainen
said. “I felt pretty lucky — just close my eyes and put it in.”CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
Game 4 Recap: Hurricanes Beat Capitals, Even Series
Teravainen scores GWG, Mrazek makes 31 saves "The crowd was insane," Foegele said. "I've never
experienced anything like this before in my life."
by Michael Smith
"I've seen it. I've lived it. I know what it's like as a player,"
The Carolina Hurricanes took an early lead on the Brind'Amour said. "On Monday, it kind of brought me back to
Washington Capitals in Game 4 and then fended off their those times. It's exciting being in here when it's that loud,
attack for the remainder of the contest in a 2-1 win to even and fun. It's fun."
this first-round series at two games apiece.
2. Foegele Makes It Happen Again
Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen found the back of the
net for the Hurricanes, while Petr Mrazek made 31 saves. It took just 17 seconds for the Hurricanes to get on the board
in Game 4, and it was Foegele, who scored two goals in
"That was a pretty hairy game. We got nicked up again. I Game 3, making it happen again.
can't say enough about our group. They just battle. Next guy
up. Whoever is ready," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. Jaccob Slavin jumped into the rush and laid the puck off to
"We're giving everything we can. Our D were really solid Justin Williams at the blue line. Williams threaded the puck
tonight. They really held the fort down, and goaltending came back to Slavin, creating a 2-on-1 in tight. Slavin used his left
up big at the end. It was a good team effort." leg to shield the puck from Matt Niskanen and then slid a
backhand pass over to Foegele for the easy tap-in finish.
Here are five takeaways from Game 4.
"I was just trying to go to the net hard," Foegele said. "To be
1. A New Series honest, I wasn't expecting the pass because he basically had
Washington took the first two games on home ice. The a breakaway, but it was a phenomenal pass. I was very
Hurricanes responded with two wins of their own in a fortunate to put that in."
raucous PNC Arena. The goal was the fastest to begin a period and a game in
What began as a best-of-seven series is now a best-of-three franchise playoff history. Foegele is now tied for the team
set and is guaranteed to return to Raleigh for Game 6 on lead in playoff points (3g, 2a).
Monday. "From day one, it's been rewarding to see a guy come to
"You're here to win," Foegele said. "I think all of us believe camp not really sure where he'd fit in, but you have to keep
we can win." him and play him," Brind'Amour said. "He's earned his ice
time. He works hard and does what you ask of him."
"We've always believed [we can beat them]. We had lost six
straight games to them after Game 2, close ones, albeit," "He's a prototypical playoff guy. He works his tail off. He's
Justin Williams said. "Winning Game 3 was big, this one was big. I feel like he's kind of built for playoffs," Williams said.
big, and they just keep getting bigger and bigger." "He's been a horse for us, and I know he's going to continue
it."
Neither team has lost at home, and the team scoring first has
won each game of the series. 3. Turbo Boost
"It means a lot that we're going to Washington in a 2-2 The Capitals pushed back against the Hurricanes in the
series," Mrazek said. "If we want to win the series, we have second period, as Alex Ovechkin tied the game from his
to go there and win at least one." office with a one-timer from the top of the left circle on the
power play.
"The good news is that we didn't play poorly up there. Game
1, I thought we played really well. Game 2, not so much," But, it was Teravainen shifting the momentum back towards
Brind'Amour said. "I'm hoping we get the Game 1 effort. the Canes in a big way, scoring a goal with 28 seconds left in
We've found a way all year." the period.
Playing on home ice has truly been an advantage for the Sebastian Aho gained the zone and dropped the puck off for
Hurricanes. A record crowd of 19,202 packed PNC Arena on Nino Niederreiter, who put a gorgeous pass on Teravainen's
Thursday. tape. No. 86 hit the seam with time and space to shoot and
buried a quick snap shot to put the Canes back ahead for
"The fans were amazing," Mrazek said. "It was like an extra good.
player for us."
"Every goal in playoffs is huge," Williams said.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
4. Mrazek, Canes Gut It Out De Haan, who paired with Trevor van Riemsdyk, logged four
hits and one shot attempt in 12:21 of ice time.
Mrazek's 31-save performance was highlighted in the game's
final minutes. With the Hurricanes holding on to their 2-1 "I thought he was solid. He put some good minutes in,"
lead, Tom Wilson hit Evgeny Kuznetsov in the middle of the Brind'Amour said. "It's tough when you've been out for a long
ice, and Mrazek came up with a game-saving glove stop. time and then have to come into a playoff game. That's as
Then, a combination of Mrazek and Justin Faulk helped keep tough as it gets. He gave us some good minutes."
Nicklas Backstrom's bid at the rebound out of the net.
While one player re-entered the lineup, another departed in
"He's a great goaltender," Williams said. "He makes key the first period, as the injuries continue to pile up with the
saves, and that's what you need at playoff time." Canes' forward corps. Jordan Martinook skated in to hit
Dmitry Orlov behind the Capitals' net and slammed into the
"When we have our mistakes, which we had, Petr has been boards somewhat awkwardly. Martinook was slow to get up
really solid," Brind'Amour said. "That's been the difference in and had to be helped off the ice, and, though he came back
these last couple of games." for a brief shift at the end of the first period, he was ruled out
As the crowd roared, the Canes held off the Caps' final push. for the rest of the evening with a lower-body injury.
A battle. A gutsy win. An even series. "He's been battling an injury all year," Brind'Amour said.
"He's just gutted it out."
"We're just working hard," Foegele said. "This group has
been believing in each other, and everyone in this room is Upper-body injuries to both Andrei Svechnikov and Micheal
stepping up." Ferland already forced the Canes to patch holes in their top
nine; this injury only adds to it.
"It was a great effort game, just kind of sucking it up. We
didn't execute very well on a lot of things … but they were "Next guy up has been the memo lately," Foegele said. "All
battling," Brind'Amour said. "Everyone is contributing in year we've been grinding and working hard, and that's
some fashion, and that's what we've got to have." translating right now."
5. One In, One Out Up Next
Calvin de Haan, who suffered a lower-body injury in A pivotal Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. in The District on
Pittsburgh on March 31, returned to the lineup after missing Saturday.
the final three games of the regular season and the first three
games of this series.
Game 4 Projected Lineup: Capitals vs. Hurricanes
Brown, Maenalanen expected to draw in McGinn-Wallmark-Martinook
Maenalanen-McKegg-Brown
by Michael Smith
Defense
The home team has won the first three games of the first-
round match-up between the Carolina Hurricanes and Slavin-Hamilton
Washington Capitals, and Game 4 is an opportunity for the Pesce-Faulk
Canes to even the series at two before it shifts back to de Haan-van Riemsdyk
Washington for Game 5.
Goalies
Patrick Brown and Saku Maenalanen are expected to draw
into the lineup in place of injured forwards Andrei Svechnikov Mrazek
(concussion protocol) and Micheal Ferland (upper body). McElhinney
Here is the projected lineup for the Hurricanes based on Scratches: Bean (healthy), Fleury (healthy), Ferland (upper
lines used in practice on Wednesday. body), Svechnikov (concussion protocol)
Forwards Note: Lineup is not official and is subject to change prior to
opening faceoff.
Niederreiter-Aho-Teravainen
Foegele-Staal-WilliamsCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
Hurricanes hold off Capitals in Game 4, even Eastern series
Mrazek makes 30 saves, Foegele scores again for Carolina "That crowd got all of us going there," said Foegele, who has
four points (three goals, one assist) in the past two games.
by Kurt Dusterberg "When you carry the puck, you can hear the crowd roar.
Mrazek's glove save on Kuznetsov We're believing in each other. This is a big win for our team
and we've just got to keep moving forward."
R1, Gm4: Evgeny Kuznetsov gets open in tight, but Petr
Mrazek turns him away with a great glove save to preserve Ovechkin tied it 1-1 at 10:35 of the second period with a
the Hurricanes' lead power-play goal on a one-timer from the left circle.
Washington was 0-for-11 on the power play since scoring on
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Petr Mrazek made 30 saves, and the its first two chances in Game 1.
Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 in
Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at PNC Capitals forward T.J. Oshie was injured after he was pushed
Arena on Thursday. into the boards by Foegele, who was penalized for boarding,
with 5:08 left in the third period.
The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2, with the home team winning
each game. Game 5 is at Washington on Saturday. "He will not be with our team for a while. He won't be playing
anytime soon," Washington coach Todd Reirden said.
"I can't say enough about our group," Hurricanes coach Rod
Brind'Amour said. "We just battled. We're giving everything Mrazek made two saves on that penalty kill, including a save
we can. Our [defensemen] were really solid tonight. They on Evgeny Kuznetsov from in close, and another in the final
really held the fort down and our goaltending came up big at minutes to preserve the win for Carolina.
the end." "We're trying to play our game, do everything right, all the
Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen scored for the small details," Mrazek said. "It means a lot to us that we can
Hurricanes. go to Washington in a 2-2 series."
Alex Ovechkin scored, and Braden Holtby made 22 saves for They said it
the Capitals. "You can't wait too long. We responded tonight, we didn't get
"It is probably a step in the right direction (from a 5-0 loss in a win. We need to get more desperate. Let's bring a little bit
Game 3)," Capitals forward Tom Wilson said. "I think we more next game and try to find a win on home ice." --
need every guy on all four lines, all the [defensemen], Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen
everyone together pulling in the same direction. They are "It's closer. We're on the right track. In the playoffs, you need
working extremely hard and they are making it tough on us everyone pulling. We just want to make sure that we keep
for sure, but if we play as a group, I am confident we will get pushing. We don't have enough right now. We know that,
the job done." and that's on our group in here to keep pushing forwards and
Teravainen's first goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs gave it's something that we've been able to do a lot. We're pretty
Carolina a 2-1 lead with 28 seconds remaining in the second confident in the fact that we're going to go home and we're
period. He took a pass from Nino Niederreiter and split going to put our best game on the ice." -- Capitals goalie
between Andre Burakovsky and Brooks Orpik before scoring Braden Holtby
glove-side from the slot. "The forwards are forechecking and coming back hard, and
"I saw that [Niederreiter] got the puck and I was open," we're trying to get pucks out quick. Everyone's playing the
Teravainen said. "I felt like I had a little bit of time, so I just same right now in the playoffs. We've worked really hard the
(took) a couple steps and I got a pretty good chance. I got last two games. We worked hard in the first two games as
pretty lucky, just closed my eyes and put it in." well, we just didn't get the same results. We're excited.
We've got to keep going Saturday." -- Hurricanes
Foegele scored 17 seconds into the first period to make it 1- defenseman Dougie Hamilton
0. Jaccob Slavin took a lead pass from Justin Williams
before deking Holtby and sending a backhand pass to Need to know
Foegele, who shot into an open net.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • April 19, 2019
Ovechkin scored his 23rd power-play goal in the playoffs to debut after missing six games because of an upper-body
tie Joe Nieuwendyk and Brian Bellows for 24th in NHL injury. He had four hits in 12:21 of ice time. … The crowd of
history. … Foegele's goal 17 seconds into the game was the 19,202 was largest for a hockey game in PNC Arena history.
fastest in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers NHL playoff history.
… Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook went awkwardly into What's next
the end boards at 12:28 of the first period and returned for Game 5 of Eastern Conference First Round at Capital One
two shifts at the end of the period before leaving. Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, SN360, SN1, TVAS)
Brind'Amour said he aggravated a lower-body injury. …
Hurricanes defenseman Calvin de Haan made his series
Hurricanes' belief growing after Game 4 victory
Win second straight against Capitals to even Eastern series They did it despite missing forwards Andrei Svechnikov
(concussion) and Micheal Ferland (upper body), who were
by Tom Gulitti each injured in Game 3, and losing another forward when
RALEIGH, N.C. -- If the Carolina Hurricanes didn't believe Jordan Martinook left with a lower-body injury after the first
before that they could knock off the Washington Capitals in period Thursday.
the Eastern Conference First Round, they do now. "I can't say enough about our group," Hurricanes coach Rod
The Hurricanes are brimming with confidence following a 2-1 Brind'Amour said. "They just battled. Next guy up, whoever is
win in Game 4 at PNC Arena on Thursday that evened the ready, we are giving it everything we can."
best-of-7 series with the defending Stanley Cup champions. It helped that Carolina grabbed a 1-0 lead when Foegele
"You're here to win, so I think all of us believe we can win," scored 17 seconds into the game. That further revved up the
Hurricanes rookie forward Warren Foegele said. "We have a crowd of 19,202, which was the largest ever to see a hockey
right to be in the playoffs, you know? So for us, we have the game at PNC Arena.
mindset to win." But the Hurricanes' mettle was tested in the second period
However, Carolina realizes it will need to win at least one after Alex Ovechkin tied it 1-1 on a one-timer from the top of
game in Washington, which has home-ice advantage, in the left circle on the power play at 10:35. Although the
order to win the series. The home team has won each of the Capitals controlled play for much of the remainder of the
four games and Game 5 is at Capital One Arena on Saturday period, outshooting the Hurricanes 14-9, Carolina did not
(8 p.m. ET; NBC, SN360, SN1, TVAS). blink and then took advantage of a breakdown to retake the
lead on Teuvo Teravainen's goal with 28 seconds remaining
But the Hurricanes return to Washington with a stronger in the period.
belief than they had when they opened the series there.
Sebastian Aho drew three Capitals players to him as he
Carolina had lost six straight games to the Capitals, including skated through the neutral zone before pushing the puck to
going 0-3-1 in the regular season, following its 4-3 overtime Nino Niederreiter at the right point. Niederreiter then quickly
loss in Game 2 at Washington on Saturday. After winning 5-0 fed Teravainen, who cruised down the open slot and beat
in Game 3 on Monday and holding off a much stronger effort goalie Braden Holtby over his glove.
from the Capitals on Thursday, the Hurricanes no longer
wonder what they need to do to defeat them. "They're Cup champs for a reason," Hurricanes captain
Justin Williams said. "They going to spend a lot of time in our
They know. zone, but a huge goal by [Teravainen] and if it's not him, next
"You start to maybe doubt it a little bit when you're down 2-0, game someone else is going to step up."
and you start to have desperate moments," Hurricanes Williams, 37, has been through these battles many times. He
defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. "We had two good won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, and again
games, obviously, and home ice is huge. The games were a with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. He also knows
lot different here. … We'll see what happens when we go [to the Capitals well from playing for them for two seasons from
Washington] Saturday." 2015-17 and expects them to push back hard in Game 5.
One of the main storylines before the series began was But the Capitals have some injury troubles of their own. They
Carolina's inexperience. The Hurricanes hadn't qualified for were already without defensemen Michal Kempny for the
the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2009 and had 10 players playoffs because of a torn left hamstring and lost forward T.J.
make their NHL postseason debut in Game 1. Oshie on Thursday when he sustained an upper-body injury
Forward Saku Maenalanen was their 11th player to make his on a boarding penalty by Foegele with 5:08 remaining.
playoff debut in Game 2 and forward Patrick Brown, who did "He will not be with our team for a while. He won't be playing
not play in a game in the regular season, increased the total anytime soon," Washington coach Todd Reirden said.
to 12 in Game 4. But the Hurricanes again went toe-to-toe
with the reigning champions and came out on the winning The loss of Oshie is a significant one for the Capitals, who
end for the second straight game. managed one goal in the two games at Carolina and none at
even strength. On the other hand, the Hurricanes haveYou can also read
