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Lowly Capitals Top Hurricanes Again: Carolina Had Chance to Clinch Southeast Division Crown

Posted on: Thursday, 30 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Bob Sutton, Times-News, Burlington, N.C.

Mar. 30--RALEIGH -- So much for the saying that "to be the best you must beat the best." The Carolina Hurricanes just needed to beat the worst team in the Southeast Division to secure a divisional championship. That didn't happen Wednesday night at the RBC Center. So maybe another night. "We can't be feeling too good about it, that's for sure," Hurricanes center Kevyn Adams said. "We had our chances and didn't get it done. It would have been nice to clinch it right here." The Washington Capitals spoiled the Hurricanes' first opportunity of the season to wrap up the title and with it an automatic top-three seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs by winning 5-1. That's the second-most lopsided loss of the season for the Hurricanes, who were credited with 50 shots on goal but little else. Led by Eric Staal's seven shots, those were the most shots for the franchise since February 1989. "That was a frustrating game because we had more than enough opportunities," captain Rod Brind'Amour said. Carolina, which has 10 games remaining, could clinch the division prior to Friday night's visit from the Florida Panthers if the Atlanta Thrashers defeat the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. The Capitals defeated the Hurricanes for the second time in five nights. The teams meet three times next week. Only one other Eastern Conference team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, has a worse record than Washington.

But Carolina coach Peter Laviolette was less critical after this defeat than he was last weekend. "I'll take the same determination with a little tighter defense," he said. "There was a lot of grit and determination out there. It didn't bounce our way." Brent Johnson, the No. 2 goalie for Washington, stopped 49 shots. "That's my role on this team," said Johnson, whose team yielded more shots than in any game this season. Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, playing for only the second time in the last 12 games, has given up a total of 14 goals in his last three outings. Washington's Brian Willsie opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game. The Capitals struck again just before the midway mark of the first period when Matt Bradley outjuked defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky and took an open path to the net. Trailing 3-0 after Bradley's second goal, the Hurricanes struck on Rod Brind'Amour's power-play goal before the halfway mark of the second period. Instead of snatching momentum, it was taken from the Hurricanes when Washington's Alexander Ovechkin scored 77 seconds later. Chris Clark added a short-handed goal in the third period. NOTE: The Hurricanes played without left wing Andrew Ladd, who was a late scratch with what was listed as a lowerbody injury. Bob Sutton can be reached at bob_sutton@link.freedom.com

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Source: Times-News

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