Following a stellar 2024-25 season where the Washington Capitals were the story of the year, Alex Ovechkin`s team is now one loss away from being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
There was considerable buzz about how the Capitals transformed into an Eastern Conference powerhouse in just one summer, especially after barely scraping into the 2024 playoffs at the last minute the previous year. A convincing five-game series win against the Montreal Canadiens last month raised hopes among Caps fans for a deep playoff run, something not seen since their Stanley Cup victory in 2018.
However, the Hurricanes, appearing in the second round for the seventh consecutive year, delivered a reality check to Ovechkin and his team, securing two dominant victories back-to-back. This has given the Canes a 3-1 series lead and pushed Washington to the brink of elimination.
Monday`s 5-2 victory, where the Caps twice narrowed the gap to one goal before Carolina sealed the win, highlights a particularly impressive trend this postseason: the Hurricanes are perfect at home, winning all five games. Neither the New Jersey Devils nor the Capitals have managed to defeat Carolina on their home ice.
This five-game home winning streak to begin the playoffs is the fourth-longest such run by any team in the last decade. And who holds the record for the longest? Carolina again, with seven consecutive home wins in 2022.
This is unwelcome news for Ovechkin`s team. Although the series heads back to Washington for Game 5, offering the Capitals a chance to stay alive, forcing a Game 7 would require them to win at Carolina`s arena in Raleigh, thus ending the Hurricanes` impressive home-ice dominance streak.