Recap: Canes Edged by Capitals

Despite bringing a one-goal lead into the third period, the Carolina Hurricanes were edged, 3-2, by the Washington Capitals in the back half of a home-and-home set between the two Metropolitan Division opponents.
Nic Dowd scored the game-winning goal with just less than five minutes left in regulation, as the Caps landed back-to-back wins over the Canes.
Here are five takeaways from Thursday night in Raleigh.

One
On Tuesday night in Washington, the Hurricanes were not at their best and lost.
On Thursday night in Raleigh, the Hurricanes put forth a solid effort and lost.
A tale of two games, but unfortunately the same result.
"We've got to be proud of the way we played tonight," Jordan Martinook said. "We're disappointed we didn't win the game, but after last game to come out - it's just a play here and there, and we win that game. It definitely stings and doesn't feel good, but there's no time to feel sorry for ourselves."
"We played really well. I thought it was a great game by us. A lot better than two nights previous," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "I felt like we certainly were invested. Everyone played hard. It just didn't go our way."
Two
The Canes brought a 2-1 lead into the third period, but the Capitals evened the score just 95 seconds into the final frame.
Jakub Vrana turned on the jets to scoot around Micheal Ferland and Curtis McElhinney's poke check to score his 23rd goal of the season.
With just 4:56 left in regulation, Down redirected Nick Jensen's point shot through McElhinney's five hole to put the Caps ahead.
"The chances were there. I liked our third period. We blew one coverage on a set breakout that's pretty standard and took a breath on it. They've got good players, and that's what happens. Ends up in your net. The third one was kind of, throw it at the net and get a lucky bounce," Brind'Amour said. "It is what it is. It's a tough loss for a lot of reasons, but that happens."

It was just the third time this season that the Hurricanes lost a game in regulation when leading after two periods. The other two? Both against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This loss was especially crushing, though, considering the time of season and how much the team left on the ice, responding from a poor effort two nights prior.
"It hurts tons. Those are real tough losses. We played well and didn't get the outcome," Brind'Amour said. "It's hockey. It happens. You don't always get the bounces, that's for sure."
Three
Warren Foegele has a late entry into the goal of the season category.
In the second period, Foegele went stick to skate to dangle through the defense of Jensen before corralling the puck and dragging it past Braden Holtby's poke check to score a highlight reel goal, capped with a fist pump and a leap into the glass.

What a FoeGOAL.
Despite a bit of a slow start from the Canes, Nino Niederreiter opened the scoring just 4:31 into the game, as he backhanded a shot around Holtby and then tapped it in on the goal line while falling behind the net.

All effort on the Canes' two goals.
Four
The Hurricanes finally got a crack on the power play while trailing, 3-2, with 4:15 left in regulation. It had been 131:04 since the team last had an opportunity on the man advantage (though they would have had one on Tuesday, but Dougie Hamilton scored on the delayed sequence).
The power play couldn't convert, though, and the Canes couldn't beat Holtby with six attackers on late in regulation.
And that was that.
"We had our chances. You can't say we didn't have chances to win or tie the game late," Martinook said. "It's a playoff-type game that could go either way, and we weren't on the right side of it tonight."
"We didn't execute really well on that," Brind'Amour said of the power play. "We just didn't execute it right, but we did have a good look."
The Hurricanes are 0-for-15 on the power play in their last nine games.
"We've got to shoot the puck, get traffic to the net and get a greasy goal on the power play," Niederreiter said. "When you have a power play, you have to make it count. … Good teams bury those chances."
Five
This loss stings, no doubt, but it doesn't alter the playoff picture too much.
The Hurricanes remain in the first wild card spot (and would match up with these same Capitals if the season ended today) and remain in control of their own destiny heading into the final five games of the season.
"We've just got to pick our heads up and come back … with just a positive mindset that we're going to keep moving forward," Martinook said. "We're in a good spot. We just have to remember that."
"You're in a position that you want to stay in. It's a battle and a grind to the end," Niederreiter said. "I think we're all prepared for it, and we all know what's at stake. We want to do whatever it takes to get into the playoffs."
"It's tough. Guys are devastated in there. They know what's at stake. I thought they gave everything they had," Brind'Amour said. "We'll regroup tomorrow and come back at it. I think if we play like that in the remaining games, we'll be in good shape."
Up Next
The Hurricanes host the Philadelphia Flyers in a Saturday matinee before facing off with the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
"It's playoff hockey already. You've got to forget what happened tonight and look forward to the next game," Niederreiter said. "We've got to take care of business."