
Hurricanes visit the Capitals with 3-1 series lead
Carolina Hurricanes (47-30-5, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Washington Capitals (51-22-9, in the Metropolitan Division)
Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hurricanes -172, Capitals +144; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Hurricanes lead series 3-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Washington Capitals in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Monday for the ninth time this season. The Hurricanes won 5-2 in the previous matchup.
Washington is 51-22-9 overall with an 18-11-1 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals have scored 286 total goals (3.5 per game) to rank second in the league.
Carolina has a 25-5-5 record in Metropolitan Division games and a 47-30-5 record overall. The Hurricanes have gone 49-7-3 in games they score three or more goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Aliaksei Protas has scored 30 goals with 36 assists for the Capitals. Alexander Ovechkin has six goals and one assist over the past 10 games.
Seth Jarvis has 32 goals and 35 assists for the Hurricanes. Andrei Svechnikov has scored eight goals with two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 5-4-1, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.2 assists, four penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Hurricanes: 7-2-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 5.6 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Capitals: None listed.
Hurricanes: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
recommended
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Miami Hurricanes pitcher Hugus picked 91st in MLB Draft by Mariners
Good things happen to good people. That was University of Miami pitching coach Laz Gutierrez's reaction to Sunday night's news that Hurricanes right-hander Griffin Hugus was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round. 'I'm glad someone like 'Griff' gets rewarded — not just because of his talent but because of the type of person he is,' Gutierrez said. 'He is ultra-athletic and an amazing athlete.' Hugus, who has already agreed to terms with Seattle, was selected with pick No. 91, and he is one of two players with South Florida ties taken in Sunday's first day of the 20-round draft. The other player is UCF shortstop Antonio Jimenez, who led Southwest Ranges Archbishop McCarthy to a state championship in 2021. On Sunday, Jimenez was selected by the New York Mets in the third round, pick No. 102. He started his college career at Miami before transferring to UCF, where he made second-team All-Big 12 in 2025. Jimenez 'crushes fastballs but struggles with softer stuff,' according to MLB Pipeline. Meanwhile, Hugus — a Wellington native — struggled in his first two years at the University of Cincinnati, going 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA as a freshman and 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA as a sophomore. At Miami this past season, Hugus gave up hitting and concentrated on pitching, earning second-team All-ACC honors. He went 6-7 with a 4.16 ERA. Better yet, Hugus pitched two complete games in an era where those efforts are rare, and one of them was in the Hattiesburg Regional, won by Miami. 'During the season, he would get mad at us when we took him out of games early,' Gutierrez said. In the regional, however, the Hurricanes needed Hugus to save their bullpen, and he delivered. On MLB Network Sunday night, the analysts touched on Hugus' 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings, his 3.4 walks and his 'eye wear and 'stache.' Beyond that, MLB Network's Carlos Collazo said Hugus did a good job last year of repeating his arm slot and separating his slider velocity from his curve to be able to fool more hitters. 'He is solid across the board,' Collazo said, 'but nothing plus or overwhelming.' On MLB Pipeline, Hugus' highest grade on a 20-80 scale is a 55 for his slider. His lowest grade was a 45 for his changeup and also his control. Hitters don't often square up Hugus, whose fastball sits mostly in the low 90s. Hugus said his agent called him at about pick No. 85, letting him know that Seattle wanted to pick him at 91 if he agreed to terms. The deal was made, but Hugus kept it from the friends and family members who gathered to watch the draft with him. 'I let them enjoy the moment my name was announced, the suspense and the full experience,' Hugus said. 'It was awesome, fun and surreal. Everyone was on the edge of their seats.' Hugus said he is grateful to the Hurricanes for taking a chance on a player with a thin resume at that time. 'This is a testament to the Miami coaches who allowed me to be a workhorse,' Hugus said. 'They molded me into the pitcher I knew I could be.' THIS AND THAT ▪ Norberto Lopez, UCF's recruiting coordinator and assistant coach, is proud of how much Jimenez improved since his freshman (2024) season at Miami, when he hit just .182 with a .613 OPS. This past season with UCF, Jimenez hit .329 with a .982 OPS. Jimenez also improved defensively, according to Lopez. 'When he first got here, on defense, his body was positioned toward first base,' Lopez said. 'He wasn't seeing the ball well. We fixed his posture and stance so that now both his eyes are on the baseball. 'Antonio is super talented and one of the hardest workers around.' ▪ The 2025 MLB Draft was set to continue with the final 17 rounds on Monday.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Capitals' Alex Ovechkin Addresses Recent Speculation About His Future
Capitals' Alex Ovechkin Addresses Recent Speculation About His Future originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin is entering his final season under contract, and speculation about his upcoming retirement will keep increasing steadily as he approaches the end of his deal. Advertisement Ovechkin, however, doesn't sound ready to say goodbye just yet. Not only that, but he fired back at the media for arriving too quickly at conclusions. Speaking to Russian outlet Sport-Express, as translated by Google, the Capitals captain dismissed rumors of his impending retirement at the end of next season. The speculation grew following his wife Nastya's comments and the Capitals' email blunder, one that the franchise had to retract from after calling next season Ovechkin's last. Speaking to Igor Rabiner of Sport-Express, Ovechkin made it clear that no decision has been made and that he's still focused on playing beyond his current NHL contract, wherever that is. Advertisement "Of course (there is no date set for his retirement)," Ovechkin said. "This is pure nonsense, which you (media) guys are starting to turn over and put Nastya in such a position. We'll see." Ovechkin hasn't committed to an NHL extension, but if one were signed, it would almost certainly be with Washington after only playing for the Capitals through his 20-year career. Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) comes off the ice after Guillory-Imagn Images If not in Washington, a return to Dynamo Moscow, where Ovechkin started his professional career, could be a realistic possibility. Asked to admit if he will continue playing following the expiration of his current contract with the Capitals, Ovechkin left the door open. Advertisement "Anything is possible," Ovechkin said. For now, Ovechkin is already training with longtime coach Pavel Burlachenko ahead of next season, one in which he will most likely break the 900-goal barrier (he has 897 entering 2025-26) in the NHL after becoming the league's all-time leading goal scorer. Related: Alex Ovechkin's Wife Reveals Retirement Timeline and NHL Exit Plans Related: Capitals' Tom Wilson Shares Honest Thoughts on Alex Ovechkin's NHL Future This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Notre Dame Impact Players For 2025: No. 48 Sullivan Absher
Notre Dame Impact Players For 2025: No. 48 Sullivan Absher originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Notre Dame is now 48 days away from kicking off the 2025 season against the Hurricanes down in Hard Rock Stadium. The Irish will be relying on some impact players to get them through the home opener as well as getting them back to another run at the National Championship. I broke down who I believe will be the top 50 impactful players for Notre Dame this season. Let's continue this countdown to kickoff with my No. 48 most impactful player, offensive guard Sullivan Absher. Advertisement With the arm injury to the expected starter, Absher will likely get the first crack in fall camp to step into the starting role. He's played all along the offensive line during his first two seasons in South Bend and will be looking to utilize some of that experience to solidify his spot amongst the starting five. What He Brings To The Table Absher is an absolutely massive player along the interior. At 6-8 328 pounds, he will be one of the bigger interior offensive lineman in the country. He played in all 16 games last season on special teams but took snaps on offense last year against Purdue, Louisville, Stanford, Navy, Virginia and Army. He's an extremely long athletic who has powerful leg drive but isn't too heavy with his feet. Absher possesses the ability to move some of the larger interior defensive lineman they will face throughout the regular season but won't sacrifice athleticism as a pass blocker. Little is known about what we will fully see from the Belmont, North Carolina native heading into his redshirt sophomore season due to his limited opportunities on the field. However, with the injury to Charles Jagusah, I don't think we will have to wait long into fall camp to see what he can do when he's given first team reps. Advertisement What Is His Impact? Last season, Notre Dame's offensive line was in a 'replace and reload' mentality throughout their entire 16 game trek. In 2024, they had to replace their left tackle, left guard, center and right guard throughout the season, some on multiple occasions. The story remains somewhat the same as they head into fall camp, and they will need Absher to perform to the best of his abilities with this opportunity he has been presented. It's uncertain what Jagusah's timeline for return is at this current moment; Absher needs to perform and prepare like he will be their starting right tackle for the foreseeable future until told otherwise. He's been waiting for his opportunity to step into the starting lineup, and despite the unfortunate circumstance, that's football. Notre Dame is projected to play another 14, 15 or 16 game season and Absher's emergence as the potential starting right guard is what makes him my No. 48 most impactful player for the Irish this season. Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge Advertisement Irish Breakdown Content 2025 Depth Chart 2025 Football Schedule Notre Dame 2026 Scholarship Offers 2025 Commit Rankings - Offense 2025 Commit Rankings - Defense 2024 Recruiting Class 2023 Recruiting Class 2022 Recruiting Class ——————— Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more. BECOME A MEMBER Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time! Join the Irish Breakdown community! Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes Follow me on Twitter: @TTrow5 Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.