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After dominating the Hurricanes 4-1 Tuesday, the Washington Capitals will look to sweep their home-and-home series against Carolina with another win Thursday. And with that win could come a guaranteed return to the postseason.
If Washington beats Carolina in any fashion, or if they fall in overtime or the shootout, they’ll clinch for the fifth-straight season. However, the Hurricanes have been outstanding on home ice, and the Capitals will have to do everything right yet again.
Here’s what you need to know and how to tune into the Capitals’ matchup against the Hurricanes.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington.
What: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes, Game 78 of the 2018-19 NHL Regular Season
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
TV Channel: Capitals at Hurricanes will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Washington (Channel Link)
Livestream: You can stream the Caps’ second go-round with Carolina on NBC Sports Washington’s livestream page and on the MyTeams by NBC Sports App.
Radio: Caps Radio 24/7, 106.7 The Fan
What to watch for
- The Great 8 near 50: After scoring his 49th goal of the season and first goal in four games, Alex Ovechkin is one goal away from his eighth 50-goal season, the second-most all-time in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
- Backy on the rise: With an empty-netter Tuesday, Nicklas Backstrom needs one more goal to become Washington’s seventh 20-goal scorer this season. He has points in three of his last five and has been a force since joining the top line.
- Opponents to watch: Andrei Svechnikov turned 19 Tuesday, and the rookie has been outstanding for Carolina this season. He has points in three of his last four and is a huge threat as the Hurricanes look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2009.
Quote of the day
“It would be nice to get (50). But we still have five games,” Ovechkin told NBC Sports Washington after the victory Tuesday. “I have lots of chances to score tonight, but finally I get one because I think last couple games I didn’t use my chances. It was important goal, and I’m happy with the win.”
Stats to know
- Evgeny Kuznetsov had three assists Tuesday and has points in three of his last five.
- T.J. Oshie has points in three of his last four and is second on the team in goals (23).
- John Carlson reached 400 career NHL points in Tuesday’s win over Carolina.
