3 Takeaways: Carolina Hurricanes Takes Game 1 In Washington
May 6, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) and Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) battle for the puck in the third period in game one of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
The Carolina Hurricanes have a 1-0 series lead over the Washington Capitals thanks to a 2-1 overtime, road victory Tuesday night.
Jaccob Slavin was the OT hero for the Canes, giving the team a crucial win in a game they very much deserved to win.
Here are three takeaways from the Hurricanes' Game 1 victory:
Belief
It's not easy to play Carolina Hurricanes hockey.
It's a demanding style of play that requires a full buy-in from all 18 skaters every night.
But when they're on, it looks like it did Tuesday night.
"We're just big believers," said Jesperi Kotkaniemi. "Just keep doing our thing and getting shots through and eventually one of them is going to go through and go in the net, like we saw tonight. Our plan never changes. Just keep working hard, sending pucks out there and just keep believing."
Even when the Hurricanes were staring up from a 1-0 hole, despite tripling the Capitals in shots and chances, there was no lapse in faith.
"It's just about trust," said Logan Stankoven, who tied up the game in the third period. "That's what our game is all about. Getting inside and lots of shot volume. That's what Rod preaches. Sometimes not everything is going to go in, so you have to be patient and it worked out well for us tonight."
The team stuck to the game plan, stuck to their style, and they were rewarded for it.
Belief is a big reason why Carolina has as much consistency as they do and is a big reason why they found a way to pull off the win even in a game that felt like they were going to get the short end of the stick.
"Our guys played hard every shift right from the start of the game," said Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "I liked how we were playing. Obviously we were down, but there's a certain game plan. Both teams have it and I thought we were on it tonight. Sometimes you don't get rewarded, but tonight we did."
Top Line Cooking
While they didn't end up on the scoresheet last night, the Canes' top line was far and away the best looking trio on the ice.
The line of Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Jackson Blake were all over the Capitals, outchancing Washington 30-5 at 5v5.
The trio just relentlessly cycled the Caps, with tons of looks, plenty of retrievals and all around dominant play.
Svechnikov, the team's Round 1 leading goal scorer, was especially noticeable, with three shots on goal, 12 shot attempts, six hits and two takeaways.
He was all over the offensive zone, even ringing the crossbar twice, and it looks like he can easily continue being a real game breaker for Carolina.
Now if only they can transfer that mojo to the man advantage too, as it had a disappointing Game 1 (0/3) after a promising series against the Devils.
'It's The Best Feeling In The World': Sebastian, Rosa Aho Welcome Birth Of First Child
'It's The Best Feeling In The World': Sebastian, Rosa Aho Welcome Birth Of First Child It's been a pretty good week for Sebastian Aho.
Not only did he lead the Carolina Hurricanes in points and score the series-clinching goal to eliminate the New Jersey Devils, but he also welcomed in his first child.
"It feels unreal," Aho said. "So happy that I got to be there. Timing-wise, it worked out and both mom and baby are happy and healthy. She did an amazing job and I'm really proud of her.
"Guys with kids here, they all said your life is going to change and for sure it did. You hold your baby for the first time, it's the best feeling in the world."
Aho is the third player to have a child this season, joining other first-time dads Shayne Gostisbehere and
Eric Robinson.
"I'm certainly happy for him," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "I'm happy to see all the guys now, as that's starting to happen a lot here in this room and we are a big family in there. It's exciting and you see it in their eyes when they show up. But it does remind you that life moves quickly. I think we do a pretty good job of that, trying to stay in the moment and enjoy every day because they do go by quick."
Wearing Down the Competition
The other thing about Hurricanes hockey is that it can really wear down opponents.
Not only was Washington forced to defend in their own zone for nearly the entire game, but they also had to eat a ton of rubber and absorb a lot of hits too.
The Canes peppered the Capitals, who ended up blocking 32 shots on the night, and outhit them 44-31.
All of that can really take a toll on a team, especially over a best-of-seven series, so for Carolina to have that kind of game and steal a win on the road, is absolutely massive for them.
"Anytime you can get a win in a series, whether it's home or on the road, it's always a boost of confidence," Slavin said. "I think especially to get that first one and it being on the road is huge for us and our momentum going forward. Like Roddy always talks about, it's one step of the series. Just keep chugging along."
Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!
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