The term “gut check” has been thrown around a ton this season. The Hurricanes fall behind on the road in the middle of a losing streak — time for a gut check. They have a goal lead to defend in the finals minutes, and the opponent is putting up a ton of shots — time for a gut check.
Last night should never have gotten to that point, having been up, 4-1, near the halfway point of the game. The Caps wouldn’t be at the top of the table if they weren’t good, but when the Canes score four in 30 minutes, they’ve got to find a way to put the game away.