The Washington Capitals faced a tough defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes, losing 5-2 in Game 4 of their playoff series at Lenovo Center. This loss puts the Capitals in a precarious position, falling behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Goaltender Logan Thompson had a challenging night, making 32 saves but ultimately could not hold off the Hurricanes' offensive onslaught. The Capitals tried to adjust their lines, including a switch that saw Ryan Leonard stepping in for Taylor Raddysh, but struggled to find the back of the net efficiently.

Carolina opened the scoring with a goal from Shayne Gostisbehere, who managed to shoot it over Thompson’s glove, and they maintained the momentum throughout the game. Although the Capitals showed signs of life with a late power-play goal from Alex Ovechkin, which marked a significant milestone in his postseason career, it was not enough to spark a comeback. The Hurricanes effectively countered with goals from established players like Taylor Hall and an empty-netter by Andrei Svechnikov, sealing their victory.