The Washington Capitals had the start they wanted in Raleigh. They got on the board first, held the Carolina Hurricanes in check early, and looked ready to ride that opening push. But the game tilted, and once it did, the penalties and the lack of steady execution caught up to them in a 4-2 loss.
Boone Jenner kept rolling, Justin Holl made a goal-scoring debut, and Ryan Leonard continued to look dangerous. Still, the Capitals couldn’t string together enough clean hockey to hold their edge.
Jenner opened the scoring in the first period on a line with Leonard and Jordan Kyrou, finishing off a sharp feed from Leonard for his third goal in as many games. For a player who has come out of the gate this well in Washington, it was another sign that the fit is working.
The Capitals found another response after Carolina tied it. In the second period, Justin Holl, making his first appearance with Washington on the back end, took a pass from Dylan Strome and buried a point shot past Pyotr Kochetkov to put the Capitals back in front. Leonard helped create that sequence too, knocking the puck loose and getting it to Strome before the setup.
Leonard was one of Washington’s most noticeable players throughout the night, and his production keeps climbing. He now leads the team with six points in six games, and he’s on a four-game point streak.
That early energy didn’t last. Carolina took control in the second period, outshooting Washington 16-6 and spending heavy stretches in the Capitals’ end. Eric Robinson tied the game late in the period, and that goal carried the Hurricanes into the third with the momentum squarely on their side.
Washington did kill off four penalties, but the fifth finally broke through late in the third on a tripping call on Justin Sourdif that raised eyebrows. Andrei Svechnikov got loose in front and finished with a backhander high to put Carolina ahead 3-2.
Mark Jankowski added an empty-net goal to close it out.
The night also featured a pair of goaltender-interference calls that left Washington shaking its head. Ilya Protas jammed in his own rebound past Pyotr Kochetkov’s pad, but the goal was wiped away because he pushed the gear and puck into the net. After review, officials also ruled the puck never crossed the line.
Then came the sequence that flipped the game. Logan Thompson had the puck under his pad, Andrei Svechnikov pushed both the puck and Thompson’s gear in off the rebound, and Carolina was awarded the tying goal. After review, the call stood, despite the obvious similarity to the earlier Washington play.
Thompson did what he could to keep the Capitals in it, stopping 31 of 34 shots for a .912 save percentage. In the end, it wasn’t enough to carry Washington through the momentum swing.
In Other News...
Capitals Blue Line Suddenly Has A New Name Fans Need To Watch
The Capitals blue line got a quick new look when the club brought up defenseman Justin Holl from Hershey, adding him into the mix as head coach Spencer Carbery shuffled the lineup. Washington has been balancing veterans and prospects on defense, so Holls arrival gave the group a different feel right away and offered another option at a spot that has been in flux.
Holl wasted little time making an impression in his first game as a Capital, jumping into the offense in the 4-2 loss to Carolina and showing why the staff wanted to see what he could bring. With the defense still adjusting around him, his early impact is giving Washington at least one new name to watch as the group settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Just Ran Into A Carolina Team Finding Another Gear
The Capitals ran into a Carolina team that has clearly found another level, with the Hurricanes stretching their winning streak to six games in a 4-2 victory. Washington had to deal with a fast, confident group that kept rolling through key contributors, including Sebastian Aho, who set up two goals, and Pyotr Kochetkov, who continued his sharp run in net by picking up his fourth win in four starts.
Carolina also kept getting secondary scoring at the right moments, which has been a big part of why this stretch has looked so convincing. Mark Jankowski added to that momentum by extending his goal streak, a late touch that fit the tone of a night when the Hurricanes looked deeper and more dangerous than the team Washington saw earlier this season. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Rookie Cole Hutson Gets A Rare Chance To Make His Mark
Cole Hutson is still early in his NHL career, but Wednesdays visit from Montreal gives the Washington rookie something a little different from the usual tune-up feel of a regular-season home game. The Capitals are hosting the Canadiens in a matchup that comes with a built-in family storyline, as Cole and Lane Hutson are set to be on opposite sides of the ice for the first time at this level.
For Washington, it is a chance to watch a young defenseman handle a night with some extra attention, while for Montreal it means Lane comes in as the more established pro after earning a long-term extension in 2025. Both brothers spoke about the moment ahead of puck drop, and even without the need to oversell it, there is plenty of curiosity around how Cole responds when a personal milestone gets folded into a bigger NHL setting. [Read more 🡒]