What Happened
Alex Tuch scored two goals in his Washington debut, helping the Capitals beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Friday night in Raleigh. Tuch, acquired in an off-season trade after five seasons with Buffalo, opened the scoring in a three-goal first period. Alex Ovechkin assisted on that goal in his 22nd NHL season. Cole Hutson, Jakob Chychrun and Ryan Leonard also scored for Washington, while Logan Thompson made 31 saves.
Key Details
- Tuch opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period with a wrist shot.
- Hutson scored with 8:27 left in the first; Tuch added a backhander with 5:37 remaining.
- Chychrun made it 4-0 on a power play at 1:36 of the second period.
- Aho scored on a Carolina power play with 3:10 left in the second; Leonard answered eight seconds later.
- Stankoven scored midway through the third period for Carolina.
- Bussi stopped 22 shots for the Hurricanes.
What It Means
Tuch's two-goal debut gives Washington immediate production from an off-season addition, while Ovechkin remains a factor at 41. Carolina, coming off a title, has opened with two losses, including a 1-0 overtime defeat to Florida on Tuesday. Washington's depth scoring and Thompson's 31 saves were enough to hand the defending champions a second straight defeat.
What's Next
Washington plays at Tampa Bay on Saturday night.