The Carolina Hurricanes won’t apologize for enjoying “boring hockey” in the event that they win the Stanley Cup this season. They fully swallowed one of many high offenses within the league on this second-round collection, and it has the Washington Capitals questioning if their success this season was all only a mirage. How far are Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals from legitimately successful a Stanley Cup?
In the event you ask any hockey fan to rank the second-round collection, this one would doubtless be No. 4. Nevertheless, for followers who respect the simplicity of the sport, the Hurricanes’ trapping type would possibly’ve introduced some nostalgia. Many groups performed just like the Hurricanes in Rod Brind’Amour’s enjoying days, and he is making an attempt to carry again some old-school hockey together with his group.
It is sensible contemplating basic supervisor Eric Tulsky is without doubt one of the league’s most analytical minds. Brind’Amour’s type prioritizes pouring pictures on the opposite groups’ internet and funneling probabilities away from their very own.
That type equals handsome analytics on a spreadsheet. Hockey followers won’t prefer it, however till it stops working, the Hurricanes aren’t going to stray from what’s gotten them this far.
Standard Alex Ovechkin for Capitals in playoffs
It appears inconceivable to have a look at Ovechkin and ponder whether Spencer Carbery ought to even be enjoying him. The NHL’s all-time main aim scorer appeared like he used all his power this season to chase that file, and the outcomes confirmed it on the ice.
He earned some leeway contemplating he broke his leg this season and is 39 years previous, nevertheless it’s not the kind of effort followers wish to see from their captain.
Ovechkin recorded three factors in Sport 1 of the primary spherical, making folks surprise if this was about to be an Ovechkin dream season the place he turned again the clock and led Washington to the finals. The Capitals had been the highest seed within the Japanese Convention, and it appeared like they’d have a comparatively simple first-round victory.
Ovechkin recorded two targets over the ultimate 4 video games of that collection however had only one aim in 5 video games in opposition to the Hurricanes. It was a disappointing finish to the season however not one which was unfamiliar. The captain additionally introduced this effort in final yr’s postseason when he recorded zero factors in a four-game sweep to the New York Rangers.
The Capitals and Ovechkin shed the playoff choker label after they gained the Stanley Cup in 2018. Nevertheless, it may very well be time to reevaluate that label. Ovechkin, who performed 20 years within the league and have become the best scorer, ought to have extra success. Nevertheless, Bleacher Report shared a surprising stat after the Sport 5 loss.
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“The Capitals have solely superior previous the second spherical ONCE in Alex Ovechkin’s 20-year profession (2018, gained Cup),” they shared on social media.
Ovechkin could be the common season’s all-time main scorer, however no less than Wayne Gretzky discovered rather more staff success with 4 Stanley Cup titles.
Logan Thompson allowed some egregious targets
Take a look at the field scores, and it would be attainable to conclude that Logan Thompson did not harm the Capitals within the second spherical. In any case, he outperformed his expectations throughout the common season, going from an additional on the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2023 championship staff to the Capitals’ starter.
The fear would at all times be whether or not he’d come up massive when it mattered most, and he failed to try this, particularly in Sport 5. In the event you take away the 2 weak targets he allowed in Sport 5, he would’ve had a shutout and led his staff to Sport 6. Nevertheless, he allowed two from horrible angles, together with the Andrei Svechnikov winner with two minutes remaining.
It could be asking an excessive amount of for his or her goaltender to get a shutout in a vital Sport 5, nevertheless it was there for the taking with solely 20 pictures from the Hurricanes. The offense could not penetrate the Hurricanes’ protection greater than as soon as, however they did not must when the protection solely allowed 20 pictures.
Thompson had an excellent first two video games within the collection, permitting solely three targets on 61 pictures. His performances had been sufficient to get the job carried out after splitting the primary two video games, however he fell aside within the two video games in Raleigh. Thompson allowed eight targets on 65 pictures, which made his job to win the collection rather more tough and put the Capitals in an unbeatable gap.
The Capitals as an entire outperformed their expectations this season. If the Hurricanes go on to win the cup, the Capitals might be simply one other casualty alongside the way in which. However, the entrance workplace must resolve whether or not this group is value taking one other run or if they’re too removed from being a authentic menace within the postseason.