3 least impressive Washington Capitals players from their 4-0 game 3 shutout loss to Carolina Hurricanes feat. John Carlson

The Washington Capitals were on the wrong end of a 4-0 blanking in Game 3 of their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen made 21 saves to earn the clean sheet, leading the Hurricanes to a 2-1 series lead.

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Andrei Svechnikov, Jack Roslovic (PPG), Eric Robinson and Jackson Blake (PPG) scored twice for the Carolina Hurricanes, while Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the Washington Capitals.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the three least impressive Washington Capitals players from their shutout loss in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Three least impressive Washington Capitals players from Game 3 shutout loss to Carolina Hurricanes

#3 Nic Dowd

The Washington Capitals' fourth line got burned on several occasions in Game 3. In particular, Andrei Svechnikov’s opening goal was a prime example.

The play started with Dowd losing a key face-off in his own end. Then, Svechnikov beat everyone to the puck, popping the loose puck past Logan Thompson for the opening goal.

Here’s a look at the tally:

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Anthony Beauvillier and Brandon Duhaime were unable to keep Svechnikov from getting the shot away and beating Thompson.

All told, Dowd ended the night a minus-2 with four penalty minutes in 12:26 of ice time.

#2 Brandon Duhaime

Like Dowd, Brandon Duhaime struggled to keep the Hurricanes in check. Duhaime played a little over 12 minutes of ice time across 20 shifts. He wasn’t the usual X-factor that he represents in the bottom six.

When the final whistle sounded, Duhaime was a minus-2, failing to get a shot on goal and showing an inability to contribute on the back-check.

#1 John Carlson

The Washington Capitals top blue liner failed to live up to expectations in Game 3. Offensively, John Carlson didn't get a shot on goal in over 23 minutes of ice time. He hit the ice for 23 shifts, chipping in with three blocked shots.

Defensively, he failed to play a key role for the Caps. A good example came on Jack Roslovic’s power play goal.

Here’s a look:

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The replay showed a very weak effort on Carlson’s part to at least get his stick in the shooting lane to keep Roslovic from firing the puck on net.

Roslovic deserves credit for selling the pass before dragging the puck back to his forehand and letting the shot fly.

Carlson was a minus-2, unfortunately getting burned on multiple occasions in Game 3.

The Capitals will have a chance to get back on track in Game 4 on Monday night as they look to even the series at two before heading back to the Capital One Arena.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan