Capitals top Hurricanes to earn playoff berth

The defending Stanley Cup champs are heading back to the dance.

With a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, the Washington Capitals officially clinched a playoff berth for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons.

The victory brought the Capitals to 100 points on the season, making them the fourth team in 2018-19 to hit the triple-digit milestone. It also strengthened Washington's lead atop the Metropolitan Division, which is now a five-point gap over the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders.

In all likelihood, Washington will claim the second seed in the Eastern Conference, meaning it will take on the higher ranked wild-card team.

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