Playoff preview in Raleigh tonight
The Washington Capitals (48-17-9) visit the Carolina Hurricanes (45-24-4) for an interesting matchup at the Lenovo Center tonight. The game will be televised locally by the FanDuel Sports Network and WRAL with the puck drop at 7 P.M.
The game features the first place and second place teams in the Metropolitan Division and could very well be a preview of a future playoff matchup.
Carolina has a league best 29 wins on home ice this season. They have won two straight and have an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games.
Washington has an Eastern Conference leading 105 points. They are only behind Winnipeg, who has 106 points.
The big news of course is that Alex Ovechkin needs just three goals to tie Wayne Gretzky’s goal total. Ovechkin has always done well against Carolina but Caniacs will be hoping he ties or breaks the record on his home ice.
I took the picture above outside the arena after the draft in 2004. He was known as a great player back then, but who could have guessed this?
Look for Frederick Andersen to be in net for the home team. Andersen is red hot and has won his last six starts.
Jordan Staal will most likely not play tonight. He has been out with a lower body injury.
Look for these lines-
Jarvis – Aho – Blake
Hall – Roslovic – Svechnikov
Martinook – Kotkaniemi – Stankoven
Robinson – Jankowski – Jost
Slavin – Burns
Orlov – Chatfield
Gostisbehere – Walker
Andersen
Kochetkov
Team’s preview – https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/preview-april-2-vs-washington