The defending Stanley Cup champion Washington
Capitals look as strong as ever heading into the 2019 Stanley
Cup playoffs. But the Carolina
Hurricanes have been proving doubters wrong all season -- and having lots of fun while they're at it. Who wins this series?
Let's break it down.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Yes, the Capitals spent the
summer splashing in fountains and celebrating the franchise's first Stanley
Cup, but the hangover wasn't as severe as many feared. Washington won its
fourth straight division title.
The Capitals did slump at times -- including a seven-game
losing streak in mid-January -- but had some dominant stretches too. The
captain set the tone. Alex Ovechkin cruised
to his second-consecutive Rocket Trophy, and eighth overall. Ovechkin's 51
goals were 26 more than his closest teammate. The Caps began the season with
nearly the same roster they ended with in June. They would add along the way --
including depth defenseman Nick Jensen and
veteran winger Carl Hagelin,
a force on the penalty kill -- but also lost some. They sent playoff hero Devante
Smith-Pelly to the minors, and lost top pairing
defenseman Michal Kempny to
injury late in the season.
Carolina, meanwhile, has been injected by new energy. In his
first full season as the majority owner, Tom Dundon has been intimately
involved in day-to-day operations while Rod
Brind'Amour shined as a rookie NHL head coach. With elaborate
postgame celebrations -- which drew the ire of many traditionalists in hockey
media -- and a fast-paced game, the Canes improved attendance and clinched
their first playoff berth in a decade, snapping the NHL's longest postseason
drought. The "Bunch of Jerks" had a bunch of fun. They also boasted a
strong defensive structure. Young Finns Teuvo
Teravainen and Sebastian Aho,
plus captain Justin
Williams, set the bar offensively.
When projected starting goalie Scott Darling faltered,
Carolina benefited from surprise performances from both Petr Mrazek and Curtis
McElhinney.
FIRST LINE: Aho led the Hurricanes in scoring
with a career-high 30 goals and 53 assists. He's due for a star turn, and
there's no better place to make your mark than the playoffs -- especially if he
gets the chance to go up against Washington's top center, Evgeny
Kuznetsov. That said it's hard to imagine Ovechkin, or his line,
slowing down anytime soon. The Hurricanes might have a hard time in particular
finding an answer to Tom Wilson (most
teams do). Advantage: Caps
DEPTH: The Canes flex some talent (and scoring
production) on their second line, but after that, there's a significant drop
off. The Capitals are also strong on their second line, and the third line has
been especially impressive this season, thanks to a career-high 22 goals from Brett
Connolly. Advantage: Caps
DEFENSE: The Canes boast a surplus of capable
defensemen, especially ones who can contribute offensively. The blue line is
Carolina's biggest area of strength. The Caps are without top-pairing
defenseman Kempny, a huge blow considering how effective the young Czech was in
last season's Cup run. The Jensen acquisition was a prescient one. Advantage:
Canes
GOALTENDING: Unlike last spring, Washington enters
the playoffs with no uncertainty in net: Braden Holtby is the
guy. Holtby ended the season with five straight wins and a .947 save
percentage across those games. Mrazek has been a delight for the Canes this
season; but this isn't the first time we've seen flashes of brilliance from the
26-year-old. His challenge now is sustaining it. Advantage: Caps
HEALTH: Losing Kempny is significant, as the
Caps are still juggling defensive pairs. Advantage: Canes
SPECIAL TEAMS: The Caps' penalty killing unit
has seen improvements, especially since adding Hagelin via trade, while the
Canes have a top-10 unit. Washington's power play is slightly above league
average; the Canes' power play is slightly below. Advantage: tie
COACHING: Rod Brind'Amour and Todd Reirden are
in their first seasons as NHL head coaches. Brind'Amour has experiences of long
playoff runs as a player, including winning the Cup with Carolina in 2006;
Reirden has experience of a long playoff run from last spring, as a lead
assistant for the Cup-winning Caps. Advantage: tie
PREDICTION: Caps in five
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