After winning back-to-back games against the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs over the weekend, the Carolina Hurricanes return home to host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. It’s a Veterans Day contest as the Hurricanes vie for their fifth consecutive victory.
Hurricanes vs. Capitals Preview
The Hurricanes are 11-4-0 this season, with a 6-4-0 record in their last 10, winning five of their last six games. However, they will have to find some added defense after losing Charles Alexis Legault, who cut his hand on a skate blade against the Maple Leafs on Sunday.
The Capitals have only won one game in their last seven and are on a two-game losing streak. Two Metropolitan Division rivals face off from different sides of the standings tonight. Here is where you can watch or listen to the game:
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network South (Mike Maniscalco & Tripp Tracy)
Listen: 99.9 The Fan
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Sebastian Aho, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Seth Jarvis are all on a four-game point streak to coincide with the team’s four-game win streak. Ehlers has tallied two goals and nine points in his last 10 games, including two game-winning goals. He is now tied for fourth on the Hurricanes in points (nine) and tied for second in assists (seven).
Related: K’Andre Miller & Nikolaj Ehlers Showing Why the Hurricanes Targeted Them in the Offseason
K’Andre Miller has tallied four assists in the three games since returning to the lineup on Nov. 6. With recent injuries to Jalen Chatfield and Legault, the defense will have to continue to step up. Sean Walker has scored three goals in the last four games while averaging almost 24 minutes a night (23:53). He’s been a rock on the backend for the coaching staff. Alexander Nikishin is also off to an amazing start in his first full season in the NHL. He ranks first among rookies and second in the NHL with a plus-14 rating. He is also tied for sixth among rookies in points (eight).
The Capitals have struggled this season, after claiming the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2024-25. They have a 3-6-1 record in their last ten games and rank near the bottom of the Metro Division. While Alexander Ovechkin only has three goals, Tom Wilson is leading the way with nine goals and 16 points in 15 games. Dylan Strome leads the team in assists (10) and is second in points (14) behind Wilson.
The Capitals are averaging 2.80 goals per game (22nd) at even strength, compared to the Hurricanes’ 3.87 goals per game (third). However, despite being in the bottom half of the NHL in goals for, Washington ranks first in goals allowed per game (2.47). The reason for that is Logan Thompson, who has a 6-4-0 record with a 1.61 goals-against average (GAA) and a .930 save percentage (SV%). If the Capitals are looking for a win, he is their best bet.
The Hurricanes rank ninth in goals allowed per game (2.80). Given their scoring woes, this could be a tough game for the Capitals, especially since the Hurricanes continue tos shut down opponents without three NHL regulars in the lineup.
Related: Hurricanes Defeat Maple Leafs 5-4 to Claim 4th Straight Win
The Hurricanes have scored on the power play in consecutive games, but rank 29th in the NHL (14%). However, their penalty kill is 10th in the league (82%). The Capitals rank 28th on the power play (14.9%) and 27th on the penalty kill (71.7%). The Hurricanes have the edge on special teams here, given their penalty kill success.
This is the first of three matchups between the teams. Next season, when the schedule shifts to 84 games, every team will face a division rival four times. The Hurricanes are looking for their fifth straight win tonight, while the Capitals will try to end their losing streak at two games.
