Photo: CBS New York
The Washington Capitals could clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive year and for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes at Capital One Arena on Thursday night.
Should the Capitals clinch a berth in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they would become the third team in the Eastern Conference (Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins) and the seventh in the NHL to do so (Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators).
The Capitals will punch their ticket to the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win in any fashion over the Hurricanes as long as the game between the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena ends in regulation. The Canadiens are two points ahead of the Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, though the Blue Jackets have a game in hand on the Canadiens entering Thursday.
The reigning #StanleyCup Champion @Capitals can clinch their fifth consecutive trip to the postseason tonight. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/dUq3V5oizX
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 28, 2019
By Harrison Brown
