Can the Washington Capitals bounce back from a crushing overtime loss? Jaccob Slavin’s blue-line rocket 3:06 into OT sealed a 2-1 victory for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, leaving the Caps outshot and outworked. Despite the setback, Aliaksei Protas’ goal and Tom Wilson’s confident outlook provide a spark of hope as Washington eyes Game 2. And he does seem to have a plan to get back to the winning ways.

Carolina dominated with 94 shot attempts, 33 reaching Logan Thompson, who made 31 saves. The Caps’ defense blocked 32 shots, but their offense struggled, managing just 14 shots on Frederik Andersen, who returned from injury to improve to 4-1 this postseason. Logan Stankoven’s third-period goal, off a Capitals turnover, tied the game before Slavin’s decisive strike.

Post-game, Tom Wilson focused on exploiting Carolina’s aggressive style in the next game. “When they’re so aggressive, there’s going to be times where the puck bounces over their stick,” he said. “We had a lot of chances that we just didn’t make them pay.” Wilson stressed smarter execution: “If we execute a little bit better, we come up with some adjustments to our game plan, I think we’ll be able to take advantage of it.” He noted Carolina’s shot volume: “They throw a lot at the net, and you just have to be comfortable making the right play when it’s there and live to fight another day.”

For nearly fifty minutes Thompson was a brick wall, standing firm against shot after shot—one-timers from the slot, wristers off the point, volleys from the hash marks. All evening long, their crisp, seamless breakouts—often long, tape-to-tape rushes—ignited their rushes through the neutral zone with lightning pace, and once they settled in the offensive end, they unleashed a relentless barrage from every corner. Washington’s explosions occasionally looked unintentional; most frequently their high departures to alleviate pressure immediately rebounded on them, and frequently with the same personnel on the ice.

Protas caught a quick feed from Brandon Duhaime at the blue line, steered hard into the right circle and unleashed a blistering wrist shot past Andersen’s glove. It came early in the second period—at exactly 3:53—to spark Washington’s 1–0 lead. “I felt like it was not going our way,” he said. “We needed to take a shot or something. I found a good spot and luckily it went in.” His first NHL playoff goal briefly shifted momentum, though Carolina’s relentless pressure regained control.

Washington’s Game 1 was a defensive grind, with sloppy breakouts and a nonexistent forecheck. High flips to relieve pressure often backfired, and the Caps burned energy defending their zone. Yet, Protas’ spark and Wilson’s optimism suggest a path forward. If Washington can build on Protas’ offensive instinct and execute Wilson’s vision of capitalizing on Carolina’s aggression, Game 2 could see the Caps steal the series momentum.

Tom Wilson steals Sebastian Aho’s mouthguard

The Metropolitan Division rivalry between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes always delivers fireworks, and Tom Wilson, the Capitals’ notorious agitator, knows how to light the fuse. In a recent clash, Wilson proved once again why he’s one of the NHL’s most polarizing players, blending physicality, skill, and a knack for getting under opponents’ skin.

This game was a classic division showdown—gritty, intense, and full of bad blood. Both teams were scrapping for every inch of ice, but Wilson, a playoff specialist, thrives in these moments. His size, scoring touch, and ability to irritate opponents make him a postseason nightmare. With the game deadlocked at 1–1 entering the final frame, Wilson pounced on the moment, injecting just the right dose of chaos when the ice was at its tensest.

Moments after play halted, Wilson tangled with Carolina’s top-line dynamo, Sebastian Aho — then, in classic agitator style, he whipped Aho’s mouthguard from his mouth in one slick motion, leaving both players and fans stunned. The bold move left Aho fuming, and you could almost hear the crowd’s collective gasp. Wilson probably hoped Aho would snap and draw a penalty—classic agitator tactics with just 6:38 left in a tied game. But the refs weren’t having it. Linesman Trent Knorr marched Wilson, looking like a scolded kid, to the head official to return the mouthguard.

This wasn’t Wilson’s first rodeo. Only a few weeks prior, Wilson had been at the height of his pestering prowess in the Montreal series: he lit the fuse on a bench-clearing fracas with Josh Anderson, taunted the Canadiens with a now-viral ‘crybaby’ gesture, and flattened Alexandre Carrier with a hit that swung the momentum of the contest. And let’s not forget his April 2 dust-up with Aho in Raleigh, where a slash from Aho spiraled into a third-period chaos fest—120 penalty minutes and eight misconducts!

Wilson’s antics make him a villain to rivals but a hero to Caps fans. Love him or hate him, he’s a master at tilting the ice.