Carolina just one day said, 'Hey, what if we gave 30 year old Sean Walker 25 minutes a night instead of 16,' and it's worked out tremendously well for them so far. Anyway, happy birthday, Sean Walker

Same forward lines, but new defensive pairs. Gostisbehere-Walker Miller-Nystrom Nikishin-Reilly Bayreuther, Jankowski the extras

Slavin, Chatfield the only absences from Canes practice. Everyone else accounted for this morning.

All three goalies on the ice for Canes practice

"You can't be afraid of getting in there and getting your hands dirty sometimes." Despite being one of the smallest guys in the league, Logan Stankoven wasn't afraid to shed the gloves and throw some bombs in his first ever hockey fight. thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina...

"You can't beat yourself, especially against a good team. You could tell what their mindset was and we were just not sharp." Rod Brind'Amour, Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven on loss to Capitals. thehockeynews.com/shortUrl/6M4...

rind'Amour: "We made a lot of mistakes, for sure. Coming in, we knew what kind of game it was going to be and we didn't play it like that. We talked about it and it was like, 'Eh, okay.'

Brind'Amour on Stankoven's fight: "It was a tough one because that was the line that was out there. You know, he might be the toughest guy we had out there with those groups. But he's not gonna back down. We know that. He's a tough kid.

Aho on Stankoven: "He showed a lot of heart there. Got in there for Blakey and that's what you need to become a team. That will help us have success later this season. That showed a lot of courage on his part. Nobody is expecting him to fight, but protecting your brother out there is a good sign."

That was Logan Stankoven's first hockey fight ever.

Brind'Amour says Andersen was pulled by the concussion spotter

Brind'Amour: "We needed more guys tonight."

Stankoven on his fight: "Honestly, I really enjoyed it."

Canes lose 4-1 to Caps, see their four game winning streak snapped

4-1 ENG for Ovechkin

Power play over, 6v5 with 1:15 to go

Kochetkov out to make it a 6v4 with 2:05 to go

Svechnikov really pushing here. Calling for pucks and put three on net on that shift.

Nevermind, Kochetkov is coming in with 5:10 to go

Andersen slow to get up after Staal collides with him

Aho's just not been good. Turnover leads to Washington coming the other way and Jarvis is called for a hook.

Hurricanes draw a call. Have to have one here.

Chaos in Washington's crease. Fans thought it was in. Officials made no call. Looks like it died right on the line maybe

Canes have just been so weak through the neutral zone. Capitals are very aggressive with their sticks too, knocking down and intercepting passes.

3-1 Play with fire, you're gonna get burned as Washington converts on their fourth power play. Andersen makes the initial save, but Chychrun is all alone in front for the put back.

Lunging save by Andersen on Wilson from the slot. Wow. He's doing what he can to keep his team in this one.

Canes back to the box. Miller for tripping.

The officials have been very much in the way tonight

Canes trail 2-1 after two. Shots are 20-18 CAR Much better period for the Canes

2-1 Ehlers looks to have got one to go after two Capitals crashed into one another to create some space for the Canes off the rush

Big kill by Carolina, including a super save by Freddie

Miller just completely whiffs on a puck and Walker has to take a penalty. Easily been the worst game for Miller in a Hurricanes sweater.

Soft play by Aho leads to a breakaway for the Capitals and the convert. 2-0

Thompson, who entered tonight with a 0.930 save percentage, has been really good tonight.

We've also had a bit of extra curriculars tonight involving Nikishin. Him and Leonard exchanged a couple of slashes in the first, now him and Wilson did just now. Staal gave Wilson a bump as they headed off, Wilson returned a slash. Rising temperatures.

Canes back to the power play as Martinook draws a hold on Chychrun.

Gostisbehere with a period opening dump in that goes off the boards and right into Thompson's pads. Staal then is there for a rebound, but Thompson again stands tall.

Canes trail 1-0 after one. Shots are 8-7 CAR Washington has been the better team at 5v5. Canes having trouble in and around the neutral zone especially.

Second power play nowhere near as good looking as the first

Robinson on PP2 in place of Stankoven

Blake draws another call with some slick skating.

Svechnikov sets Jarvis up streaking in right in the slot and Thompson makes a strong save

Penalties: Dowd - Goalie Interference Fehervary - Roughing, Fighting Carolina: Andersen - Roughing Stankoven - Fighting So Carolina will get a power play

Andersen run into by Dowd and chaos breaks loose. Stankoven fighting Fehervary.

Chychrun tries to do a spin around directly in front of Andersen, but Reilly trips him. Back to the PK

Nikishin and Aho with back-to-back blocks to keep goals off the board

Andersen with a big stop on Lapierre as he calls his shot on a 2-on-1

A few failed clears and eventually the Caps convert. Brandon Duhaime deposits an easy goal as he's left alone at the backdoor.

Miller called for a trip, Canes to an early PK

Canes vs. Caps lines: Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis Ehlers-Stankoven-Blake Carrier-Staal-Martinook Hall-Kotkaniemi-Robinson Miller-Walker Nikishin-Gostisbehere Reilly-Nystrom Andersen Kochetkov