The Washington Capitals face elimination tonight as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 at Capital One Arena. Down 3-1 in the series, Washington needs a spark offensively to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Meanwhile, Carolina looks to punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference Final with one more win. The Hurricanes are -170 favorites for Game 5, having largely controlled the series. With relentless forechecking and superior puck control, they’ve shut down Washington’s scoring threats.
Despite the Capitals’ struggles, goaltender Logan Thompson has been a standout, posting a .918 save percentage and leading the playoffs with a +7.8 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx). Unless Washington can generate more high-danger chances, Carolina is in a strong position to close it out.
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 5 Projected Lineups
Washington Capitals
Forwards:
Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Anthony Beauvillier
Aliaksei Protas – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Tom Wilson
Andrew Mangiapane – Connor McMichael – Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime – Nic Dowd – Taylor Raddysh
Defense:
Rasmus Sandin – John Carlson
Jakob Chychrun – Matt Roy
Alexander Alexeyev – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Goaltenders:
Logan Thompson (starter)
Charlie Lindgren
Notably, Connor McMichael moves to center the third line in an effort to jump-start the Capitals’ offense.
Carolina Hurricanes
Forwards:
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Jack Roslovic – Logan Stankoven
Jordan Martinook – Jordan Staal – William Carrier
Eric Robinson – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Jackson Blake
Defense:
Jaccob Slavin – Brent Burns
Dmitry Orlov – Jalen Chatfield
Shayne Gostisbehere – Sean Walker
Goaltenders:
Frederik Andersen (starter)
Pyotr Kochetkov
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 5 Key Matchups to Watch
Alex Ovechkin vs. Hurricanes’ Defense
Ovechkin has been limited to just one goal in the series. The pairing of Slavin and Burns has done an excellent job keeping him away from his usual high-danger areas. If the Capitals want to stay alive, Ovechkin needs to break through.
Goaltending Duel: Logan Thompson vs. Frederik Andersen
Thompson’s play has been a bright spot for Washington, while Andersen continues to provide steady goaltending for Carolina, including a shutout in Game 4. Whichever netminder holds strong under pressure could swing this game.
Special Teams Efficiency
Carolina’s penalty kill has shut down Washington’s power play, which has gone just 1-for-13 in the series. The Capitals must convert with the man advantage to shift momentum.
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Game 5 Final Prediction
Carolina has been the better team in this series — more polished, more disciplined, and more consistent across all three zones.
The Hurricanes roll out scoring threats on all four lines, making it tough for Washington to key in on any one player. Aho’s vision, Svechnikov’s physical play, and Jarvis’ speed have caused all kinds of issues for the Capitals’ defense.
So far, Carolina has executed its defensive game plan almost perfectly. Slavin and Burns have neutralized Washington’s top scorers, especially Ovechkin, who hasn’t been able to get clean looks from his usual spots.
Logan Thompson has been Washington’s best player, making key saves and keeping games close. But he needs help. The Capitals can’t win without scoring, and their power play has failed to deliver.
Expect the Caps to come out hard in the opening 10 minutes, hoping to ride the energy from the home crowd. But if they don’t score early, Carolina’s structured forecheck will likely settle in and take control again. A late second-period goal could decide this one.