The Washington Capitals prospects trounced the Carolina Hurricanes prospects 10-3 in the opening game of the 2019 prospect showcase Saturday afternoon at the Ford Ice Center in Antioch, Tennessee. The Capitals prospects will next face the Nashville Predators prospects on Sunday. Puck drop is set for 2:00 PM EST. (Full tournament roster, schedule and how to watch is here). You can access all of our prospect analysis and reports under the prospects tab in the top menu.

TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

The tournament is for skaters and goaltenders on entry-level contracts (or less), aged 24 or younger, and with 20 or fewer games of NHL experience. Exceptions can be made with the prior approval of each of the other teams in the tourney. Teams will dress two goalies and 18 skaters, a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime period will be played in the event of a tie, and every game will be followed by a shootout – five players per team – regardless of the score. Players are permitted one fight in the tourney; a second fighting major will disqualify the player for the remainder of the tournament.

GAME 1 LINEUP

The Capitals started Ilya Samsonov in goal. Shane Gersich, Garrett Pilon and Beck Malenstyn donned the “A”‘s (Alternate Captain) for the opening tilt.

Note: Samsonov got the start, rather than Logan Thompson, as noted in the tweet above. Riley Sutter would leave the game early in the third period with an “upper body injury”, and would not return.

Note: According to the Capitals Mike Vogel, the Caps brought 18 drafted players to the 2019 Prospect Showcase in Nashville while Carolina had just nine. Washington’s total is the highest among the four teams at the tourney while Carolina’s total is tied with Nashville for the fewest. The Caps are icing a young team at the Showcase this year, but many of their players played in the tournament last year. Much of the Canes’ roster was populated with free agent invitees hoping to score a pro deal after finishing up at either the college or junior level.

GAME RECAP

First Period

The Capitals struck first with a goal from Brian Pinho early in the opening frame. The score was assisted by Connor McMichael. Bobby “The Nard Dog” Nardella had the second assist.

#ALLCAPS strike first with a goal from #CapsProspect Brian Pinho. Shot was setup with a nice cross-ice feed from @con91mcmichael pic.twitter.com/wYyeBI9UDC — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

The Capitals would stretch their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Beck Malenstyn. Malenstyn would follow the play and clean up the loose change for the score.

#CapsProspect Beck “The Check” Malenstyn cleans up the loose change and makes it 2-0. #WreckItBeck pic.twitter.com/7YLsWTgBDM — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

Martin Fehervary would make it 3-0 on a beautiful score. Fehervary would go coast-to-coast, demonstrating his elite-level speed and finished with a sweet backhander, going five hole. Joe Snively would get the primary assist, with a nifty dish to spring Fehervary.

Marty the Party makes it 3-0! #CapsProspect Martin Fehervary goes coast to coast. pic.twitter.com/FMOOZyguPy — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

The opening frame would end with the Capitals leading 3-0. Ilya Samsonov was strong in net as well, stopping all 8 shots he faced.

Second Period

The Capitals would stretch the lead to 4-0 with Brian Pinho’s second tally of the game, just 57 second into the middle frame. Joe Snively had the primary assist, his second of the game.

Garrett Pilon would stretch the Capitals lead to 5-0 early in the middle frame with a top-shelf shot from close-range on the right side.

The Hurricanes would finally get on the scoreboard in the waning moments of the middle frame. Chase Priskie’s shot bounces off the end boards to Eetu Luostarinen who drives home a sharp angle shot from the left side.

#ALLCAPS lone blemish comes on a sharp angle shot by the Canes. pic.twitter.com/CI0bbEvLvc — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

But the Capitals would restore the five goal lead just 24 seconds later with a goal from Joe Snively. Snively had a goal and two assists through two periods of play.

#CapsProspect and Herndon, Va. native Joe Snively restores #ALLCAPS five goal lead. Caps lead 6-1 after two periods. pic.twitter.com/P1IAnTElzb — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

The second period would conclude with the Capitals leading 6-1. Ilya Samsonov stopped 20 of 21 through two periods.

Third Period

The Hurricanes would quickly strike with a goal from former Capitals prospect Chase Priskie off of a faceoff just 28 seconds into the final frame, making it 6-2.

Riley Sutter would go down after crashing into the boards. He would lay on the ice for a while, finally getting to his feet and holding his right shoulder/arm as he exited the ice. He would not return.

The Canes would add another to make it 6-3.

The Capitals would restore the four goal lead with a goal from “The Nard Dog” Bobby Nardella, making it 7-3. Beck Malenstyn would get the primary assist.

The Nard Dog! Bobby Nardella makes it 7-3. Nice give-and-go with Beck Malenstyn. Marty the Party notches his second of the game to make it 8-3, #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/VdOkkYQjTw — NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) September 7, 2019

Martin Fehervary would score his second goal of the game to make it 8-3 midway through the final frame.

Fehervary gets his second of the game with this beauty#Caps 8-3 Watch live: https://t.co/fbaX0tNPnq pic.twitter.com/T9NYigp5Fa — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 7, 2019

Shane Gersich would get in on the action with a late goal, making it 9-3. His initial shot would be blocked by the Canes netminder, but Gersich would stay with it, knocking home the rebound for the Caps ninth tally.

Kris Bindulis would increase the Capitals total to double digits in the last minute of play, making it 10-3, and that would be the final.

SHOOTOUT

Regardless of the score, each game in the tournament will end with a five-player shootout. Shane Gersich would score, Brett Leason, Martin Fehervary, Alexei Protas and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby would be denied. Ilya Samsonov was a perfect 5 for 5 in the shootout.

NOTES

Martin Fehervary had two goals

Brian Pinho had two goals

Joe Snively had one goal and two assists.

Bobby Nardella had one goal and two assists.

Beck Malenstyn had a goal and an assists.

Ilya Samsonov stopped 37 of 40, for a .925 sv%.

The Capitals did not have a power play.

They were 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.

Kody Clark has 2 of the 3 Capitals penalties.

Hershey Bears Head Coach Spencer Carbery talks after the 10-3 victory over Carolina in game 1 of the 2019 #ProspectShowcase pic.twitter.com/9E0citMnSI — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 7, 2019

By Jon Sorensen

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