Washington Capitals Look to Bounce Back in Game 5

The Washington Capitals dropped their last two games to the Carolina Hurricanes in a hostile road environment. Now the series comes to D.C. There’s no place like home.

Capital One Arena will be the place to be on Saturday night and the Washington Capitals will look to continue a trend where the home team has won a game this series. It’s 2-2 after the Carolina Hurricanes won both their games on home ice.

While the Capitals played better in Game 4, there’s still things they could improve on in their series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

For one, yes the Capitals outshot the Hurricanes 31-24 which is much better than the 45 allowed shots while only putting up 18 including one in the second period in Game 3. Now that they’ve shot the puck more, it’s a matter of finding the right shot and creating chances toward the net.

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We’ll see if the Capitals can do that. Another thing they’ll need is energy throughout the 60 minutes or beyond.
That’s where you, the fans, come in. The hockey world saw what a playoff atmosphere looks like when it’s been 10 years since last making it.

Now Capitals fans need to show the hockey world that the fanbase that was the happiest last spring has still got it in their team’s first playoff adversity since.

The Capitals are already struggling with life without Michal Kempny and now T.J. Oshie has been added to the list. Oshie’s loss is significant in the leadership aspect as well as the offense of the top-six.

Now Devante Smith-Pelly has been brought up from the Hershey Bears. He was placed on waivers in February after he scored just four goals and four assists for eight points in 54 games. A complete opposite of a seven-goal playoff performance including the game-tying goal in Stanley Cup clincher.

Smith-Pelly produced down at the AHL and had 14 points (six goals and eight assists) in 20 games with the Hershey Bears. Just his presence alone in the locker room will be a positive vibe for his teammates in their quest to rekindle last year’s magic.

For Smith-Pelly, he’ll be poised to prove the coaches and front office wrong for waiving him. And maybe, just maybe, he could be a menace or perhaps even a jerk to Warren Foegele (the culprit that hit Oshie) and the Hurricanes.

Smith-Pelly will be on the fourth line alongside Nic Dowd and Chandler Stephenson. Tom Wilson moves up to the top line with Oshie’s absence. Carl Hagelin moves up to the second line next to Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana.

Puck drop is at 8 p.m. and you can catch the game on NBC nationwide.