The Washington Capitals will have had plenty of rest after their first-round win over the Montreal Canadiens. The NHL announced Sunday that Washington’s second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes won’t begin until Tuesday night.
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals have watched from home while other series — including the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets matchup with the St. Louis Blues — have required seven games to declare a winner.
The Capitals ended their series against the Canadiens on Wednesday, giving them five days of rest before the second round begins.
The Hurricanes found themselves in a similar position. Carolina ended the New Jersey Devils’ season with a double-overtime victory on Tuesday.
“Originally, I was hoping that there was going to be some time for us to catch our breath and be able to put the necessary preparation in place,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said on Saturday. “And then, as I was going through it last night, I’m like, ‘Gosh, if we start Tuesday, it’s going to be a long time.’ I think there’s pros and cons.”
The Capitals will open Tuesday’s Game 1 and Thursday’s Game 2 at home. The series will flip to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the next two games on Saturday and Monday, May 12.
If necessary, the Capitals would host Game 5 on Thursday, May 15, and Game 7 on Monday, May 19. Game 6 would be played in North Carolina on Saturday, May 17.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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