Finally, Hurricanes and Capitals have a rivalry to savor
It’s hard at the exact midpoint of the season to see the possibility of the playoffs somewhere down the line, so take full enjoyment from games like this, the manifestation of a rivalry that took forever to get its feet on the ground.
After years of Southeast Division Showdowns that were more sound than fury, the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals have a full-blown rivalry now, always the best stuff in hockey, and it produced a furious third period Friday that was as entertaining a spectacle on this ice in January in a long, long time. Even in a 4-3 Hurricanes’ loss.
There wasn’t a ton of calm before the storm — the Hurricanes peppered Ilya Samsonov with 18 fruitless shots in the first period, punctuated by Nic Dowd throwing Andrei Svechnikov’s stick into the crowd at the intermission — but when Jordan Staal scored in the first minute of the third to make it a one-goal game, everything really broke loose.
The Capitals scored two goals in less than three minutes, followed by a pair of Hurricanes goals thanks in part to T.J. Oshie’s indiscretions with Warren Foegele, and the entire third was back-and-forth enough to cause whiplash, with the Hurricanes unable to close the gap but offering every indication they could — and the Capitals threatening to extend their lead at the same time.
Foegele continues to be the uncomfortable centerpiece of this newborn rivalry, thanks to his goal-scoring exploits in the playoffs and the hit on Oshie that had the unfortunate consequence of a broken collarbone for the Capitals forward. The spotlight, especially a villainous one, doesn’t suit his personality, but it’s a role cast upon him, for better or worse. (And not merely by the Capitals: The Hurricanes took the opportunity of the first television timeout to display a montage of Foegele goals against Washington, expert trolling.)
That dynamic nearly played a role in the outcome of the game, with Oshie cross-checking Foegele in front of the net in the third, then taking another run at him while Foegele was on one knee. The Hurricanes scored on the ensuing power play, their final goal of the game as it turned out.
There were a few other incidents and flashpoints, with the Hurricanes’ chances to get a point out of this dying when Dougie Hamilton retaliated for an Oshie hit into the end boards with a swipe at the back of Oshie’s helmet, and on the whole it was far from the ordinary at this time of year, much to the delight of a third straight sellout crowd.
The Hurricanes and Capitals were always supposed to be rivals, thanks to convenient geography, but it wasn’t until the seven games last spring that any life was really sparked. Alex Ovechkin’s knockout of Svechnikov was the kind of moment that creates feelings that tend to linger, and the resentment over Brock McGinn’s double-overtime winner to send the defending Stanley Cup champions home clearly lingers. As it should. Such are the legacies of playoff series won and lost. More often lost.
“When you see a team in the playoffs, usually the next year there’s always a little added rivalry I think,” Staal said. “Obviously, a good team and a good test when they come into the building, and our fans know it.”
Throw in the Hurricanes’ two wins over the Capitals since and the two-game losing streak upon which the Capitals entered this game (one of those here to the Hurricanes), and there was a ripeness to Friday that even the first two games lacked, but a welcome one. Such frisson is uncommon in the long slog of the hockey season. There used to be more of it, before expansion, when the NHL was a smaller league and teams more often bumped shoulders with each other.
The Hurricanes have it with the Capitals now, a real and honest rivalry, full of bad blood and scores to settle. The good stuff. There should be more to come.
This story was originally published January 3, 2020 at 11:11 PM.
