A look back at some longtime rivals
183 – Number of regular-season games between the Capitals and Hurricanes/Whalers in their collective history heading into tonight’s game, the fourth-most games against one opponent for the ‘Canes/Whalers (behind only Buffalo with 210 GP, and Montreal and Boston with 209 apiece). The Caps have a significant edge in overall results in those games, with a record of 103-56-24 in head-to-head matchups – although of course, the Hurricanes have won their one and only playoff meeting.
A big part of that hefty game total is a longtime division co-residency by the two teams; in fact, they’ve been division rivals for 23 of the last 24 seasons, dating back to Carolina’s addition to the Southeast Division back in 1998. Since then, the only season they’ve spent apart was the oddly configured, pandemic-shortened and ill-fated 2020-21 campaign, when the Caps took up with the East Division while the ‘Canes headed to… the Central. Because sure.
The two teams will play Game #184 against each other tonight, and then check #185 off the list this weekend when they face off again outside in Saturday night’s Stadium Series game.