The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5 to advance to the Eastern Conference final.
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck in the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) celebrates his empty net goal with right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) and center Sebastian Aho (20) in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, right, celebrates with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (4) and defenseman Sean Walker (26) after Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) celebrates his empty net goal with right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal with defenseman Sean Walker (26) and others in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal as he skates to the bench in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal with defenseman Sean Walker (26) in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) celebrates his goal with defenseman Sean Walker (26) in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his goal with teammates in the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series as Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) skates by Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (4) shoots the puck in the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (28) tries to get the puck past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) and defenseman Matt Roy (3) in the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) tracks the puck against Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) in the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) warms up before Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Beauvillier (72) celebrates his goal with right wing Ryan Leonard (9) in the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck in the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his goal with teammates in the first period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series as Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) skates by Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (28) tries to get the puck past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) and defenseman Matt Roy (3) in the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Hurricanes Capitals Hockey Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (28) skates with the puck against Washington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57) in the second period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Surviving the initial push of an opponent facing elimination, the Carolina Hurricanes scored first thanks to Jordan Staal. Riding the waves of the pressure the Washington Capitals put on them, they scored late to close out the series.
Andre Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with 1:59 left, and Carolina beat Washington 3-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night to move on to the Eastern Conference final for a second time in three years.
“We’ve been in playoffs in those kind of games for quite some time, and the guys trust our game and I think that’s the biggest thing,” said Staal, whose goal was his first of the playoffs. “When you believe in what you’re going to do, that it’s going to work out, it just becomes more calm and more consistent that, eventually, if we continue doing what we’re going, we’re going to win the game and it looks like the guys did that.”
The Hurricanes improved to 10-5 in potential close-out games in seven trips to the postseason with coach Rod Brind’Amour. They will face either Florida in a rematch of the 2023 East final or Toronto in a reminder of 2002, and the Panthers are up 3-2 with the chance to eliminate the Maple Leafs as soon as Friday night.
“We’ve already been in a conference final, and we know what’s going to happen there,” Svechnikov said. “It’s not going to be easy there and we’ll see who we’re going to play against, but this is the time for us to take a relaxed little bit and get ready for the next games.”
They’re able to play more games thanks to Frederik Andersen stopping 18 of the 19 shots he faced, including a few from Alex Ovechkin and a Grade-A scoring chance by Pierre-Luc Dubois early in the third period when the score was tied. Then, after a give-and-go with Sean Walker, Svechnikov’s shot got through Logan Thompson from a bad angle to put Carolina ahead.
Seth Jarvis sealed it with an empty-net goal with 26.1 seconds remaining.
The Capitals’ season is over despite an unassisted goal by Beauvillier and some important saves from Thompson among his 18, though the two goals he allowed were not pretty.
“Credit to Freddie Andersen: I thought he was the better goalie this series,” Thompson said. “I think I could have been better and made a couple saves in Raleigh and definitely tonight.”
Washington started strong, got a few quality scoring chances but could not get through tight-checking defense to prolong the series.
“It was tight out there,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “Liked a lot of what we did tonight. Just didn’t do enough of it.”
Up next
Carolina would have home-ice advantage against Florida and open on the road if it’s Toronto.
