WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor McMichael and John Carlson scored, Logan Thompson made 26 saves and the Washington Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 in Game 2 on Thursday night to tie the second-round playoff series.
After a slow first period, the Eastern Conference regular-season champion Capitals started to look more like themselves as as the game wore on, dictating their style and not getting hemmed in their end for long stretches. That was essential after they were they were thoroughly outplayed in the series opener, an overtime loss.
Thankful to be in it Tuesday night, Washington in Game 2 outlasted Carolina’s puck possession start and took advantage of a fortunate break and a series of penalties.
McMichael scored 2:15 into the second on a breakaway after an attempted dump-in by Sean Walker hit Hurricanes defense partner Shayne Gostisbehere in the face, slowing his ability to get back. Carlson fired a power-play goal into a wide-open net 1:54 into the third off a textbook cross-ice pass from Tom Wilson that Frederik Andersen had no realistic chance of stopping.
Wilson finished off his dominant game by sealing it with an empty-netter with a minute left. In addition to the assist, he blocked a shot that saved a would-be goal by Carolina.
At the other end of the ice, Thompson kept up his stellar goaltending that helped the Capitals get past Montreal in five games in the first round. Chants of “LT! LT!” filled the arena just about every time Thompson made a stop and halted play.
The Hurricanes got 18 saves from Andersen and a power-play goal from Gostisbehere with 10:34 left but could not erase their deficit. The last team this postseason to be perfect on the penalty kill, entering 17 for 17, their streak was broken on Carlson’s goal.
OILERS 5, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, OT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leon Draisaitl took a pass from Connor McDavid and scored off the rush at 15:20 of overtime to give Edmonton a victory over Vegas and a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.
After failing to capitalize on a five-minute power play when Vegas defenseman Nicolas Roy was assessed a major penalty for cross-checking 5:37 into overtime, the Oilers didn’t waste the opportunity later when the NHL’s most dynamic offensive duo combined for the winner.
Vasily Podkolzin, Jake Walman, Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane also scored for the Oilers, and Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists. Calvin Pickard, who appeared to be shaken up when Vegas’ Tomas Hertl fell on his left leg in the third period, made 28 saves.
Victor Olofsson scored two power-play goals and had an assist for the Golden Knights, Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and an assist, and William Karlsson also scored. Jack Eichel had three assists, and Mark Stone two assists to extend their points streaks to five games apiece. Adin Hill stopped 33 shots.
