Capitals, Hurricanes Ready For Game 7 In DC

It has to be somewhat disconcerting for the Washington Capitals that the Carolina Hurricanes have played most of their opening round NHL playoff series without their best players and yet have taken it to a decisive 7th game. Andrei Svechnikov has been out since he was pummeled in a Game 3 fight with Alexander Ovechkin but there is a good deal of optimism that he’ll be back in the lineup for Game 7. Forward Michael Ferland (upper body injury) is listed as ‘questionable’ for Wednesday’s game.

Washington won the first two games played on their home ice but both were extremely close. Game 1 reads a a 4-2 Caps victory but that margin was achieved by a late empty net goal. For all intents and purposes it was a one goal game. Game 2 was a Capitals overtime win. The teams headed to Raleigh for Game 3 and most thought that Washington would quickly dispatch the Hurricanes. It didn’t quite work out that way. Carolina ripped Washington 5-0 in Game 3 and then scrapped out a 2-1 win in Game 4. Washington got *their* blowout win in Game 5 by a 6-0 score but in Game 6 Carolina scored three times in the third period to force Game 7.

The Hurricanes have had a tough time of it on the Capitals home ice. They haven’t won there since March 2018 and Washington has won 7 of the last 9 meetings at the Capital One Arena. Since the home team has won every game so far in the series the expectation is that a Game 7 should follow form. Historically, that hasn’t been the case. In the NHL, teams playing Game 7 at home in a series where every game has been one by the home team have won the decisive game just 52.6% of the time. In the first round of the playoffs, it’s just 50% though with a small sample size.

The reality of this series is that Carolina has simply outplayed Washington 5 on 5 though the Capitals have fared better on special teams. Washington’s special teams were a mixed bag during the regular season though definitely far from dominating. The power play hit at 20.8% for #12 in the league though the penalty kill was a substandard 78.9% for 24th in the league. Carolina had a similar special teams profile in reverse–they had the #20 power play (17.8%) and the #8 penalty kill (81.6%). The Capitals’ power play during this series has been very good–6 power play goals from 21 chances for 28.6%. Carolina’s power play has struggled–3 PPGs from 24 chances (12.5%).

Washington will be without TJ Oshie for Game 7 and should they advance it’s unlikely he’ll return during the playoffs. Prior to the Capitals’ run to the Stanley Cup last season there was a rap on Alex Ovechkin that his teams were playoff underachievers. Could that old ‘curse’ return for Game 7? Washington has a terrible franchise record in Game 7 situations going 5-11 all time. 8 of those losses have been on home ice which puts the Caps in a tie with the Boston Bruins for the most Game 7 home ice losses in NHL history. The key for Carolina is to stay out of the box and to kill penalties. If they can do this, there’s no reason they can’t win this game. At any rate, this is a more even matchup than the NHL hockey betting odds suggest.

BET CAROLINA HURRICANES +137 OVER WASHINGTON CAPITALS

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