Tuch scores twice as Capitals defeat Hurricanes 5-2 in season opener at Lenovo Center

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

RALEIGH, N.C. — Alex Tuch made an immediate impact in his debut with the Washington Capitals, scoring twice as the Capitals defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at Lenovo Center on Friday. Washington controlled the pace early and expanded the lead with a pair of goals in the first half of the first period, then added more scoring through the second and third periods to secure the season-opening win.

Tuch, 30, was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in a sign-and-trade deal announced June 24. The agreement runs eight years with a total value of $84 million and an average annual value of $10.5 million, setting the context for a high-profile first game in Washington’s lineup.

Washington opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period when Pierre-Luc Dubois stripped the puck from Carolina goaltender Brandon Bussi behind the Hurricanes’ net. Dubois then fed a backhand pass to Tuch, who scored between the circles into the open net to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead.

Cole Hutson extended the Washington advantage to 2-0 at 11:33. Hutson scored on a short-side snap shot off a pass from Ilya Protas, placing the Capitals comfortably ahead midway through the opening frame.

Tuch’s second goal arrived at 14:23 of the first, pushing the score to 3-0. The marker came when Tuch tapped the puck into the net after Tom Wilson’s shot from above the left circle trickled through Bussi, giving Washington a three-goal cushion before the period ended.

Jakub Chychrun made it 4-0 in the second period on the power play at 1:36. Chychrun converted on a wrist shot from inside the blue line, maintaining the Capitals’ momentum after their early three-goal lead.

Carolina responded with its first goal at 16:50 of the second period. Sebastian Aho scored on the power play off a feed from Andrei Svechnikov, cutting the deficit to 4-1 and changing the late-second-period complexion.

Washington answered quickly, extending the lead back to 5-1 just eight seconds later. Ryan Leonard drove the net and redirected a pass from Dylan Strome to beat Bussi again, restoring a four-goal cushion before the teams moved to the third period.

The Hurricanes kept working offensively in the final frame. Logan Stankoven scored at 10:50 of the third period when he tipped K’Andre Miller’s wrist shot from inside the blue line, bringing Carolina within three at 5-2.

Defensively, Washington’s goaltender Logan Thompson made 31 saves to close out the game. Bussi recorded 22 saves for Carolina as the Hurricanes fell to an 0-1-1 record following the loss.

The scoring for Washington also included two assists each from Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dylan Strome, while the playmaker role for Carolina’s early power-play goal was supported by Svechnikov’s feed. With the win, the Capitals begin their season with a decisive statement performance centered on Tuch’s two-goal debut and a strong start that Carolina could not fully overcome.

For the Hurricanes, the loss was a difficult start, with goals from Aho and Stankoven but not enough even after the power-play conversion at 16:50 of the second period. Washington’s ability to build and sustain separation—from 1-0 at 6:33 through the 4-0 stretch early in the scoring—proved decisive across the full 60 minutes at Lenovo Center.