The Capitals are staring down elimination in Game 5. Here's what would help them start to dig out from the 3-1 hole.

In arguably the most predictable outcome of the first round, the first and second seeds from the Metropolitan Division are facing off in Round 2. The top-seeded Washington Capitals handled the Montreal Canadiens in five games, and the No. 2 Hurricanes had a gentleman's sweep of their own against the ailing Devils.

Andrei Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with just under two minutes left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night, winning the second-round series and advancing to the Eastern Conference final for a second time in three years.