Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour wasn't thrilled with Alexander Ovechkin after his fight with rookie Andrei Svechnikov in Game 3 on Monday night.

The Russian countrymen dropped the gloves in the first period, and the much bigger Ovechkin dropped Svechnikov to the ice with a powerful right hand. Carolina's rookie was helped to the dressing room by trainers and didn't return due to an upper-body injury.

"If you watch the video, he slashes him twice - Ovi, whack, whack - then Svech gets him back," Brind'Amour said, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "I don't know if there's words exchanged but, one guy's gloves come off way first. And that's Ovi, not our guy. So it's a little bit frustrating because he got hurt. It's his first fight. He's played 90 games. He's never fought in his life, and I'm pretty sure Ovi knew that. So that stuff bothers me."

The Hurricanes drafted Svechnikov second overall in the 2018 draft, and the skillful winger put up 37 points in 82 games before notching three points in the opening two games of the first-round series.

"Svech means a lot to us," Brind'Amour said. "Young kid. Just turned 19. He has a special bond with our group, with me too. When you see that it makes you sick. I'm still sick to my stomach about it."

After the Hurricanes' 5-0 win, Ovechkin said Svechnikov challenged him to square off, and that he hopes he's OK.

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"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."

Wayne Gretzky's famous adage was on full display Monday when the Washington Capitals were shut out by the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-0, in Game 3 of their first-round series.

The Capitals were dominated from start to finish and were outshot in all three periods, including an 18-1 count in the second frame - their only shot on goal in a span of just over 40 minutes. The single effort set a franchise record for fewest in a period for a road playoff game, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.

With 4:51 remaining in the third period, the Hurricanes held a shot advantage of 42-11. They heavily controlled the possession game as well, out-attempting the Capitals 51-28 at even strength on the night.

Following the game, Capitals star center Nicklas Backstrom called his team's performance "completely unacceptable," according to NBCS Washington's Brian McNally. In total, nine Capitals were held without a shot on the night.

"They were on a different level than we were tonight," head coach Todd Reirden said postgame, according to McNally.

The win marked the Hurricanes' first in the postseason since May 14, 2009.

Washington still holds a 2-1 series lead and will look to bring a stronger effort in Game 4 on Thursday.

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San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton was suspended one game on Monday for his illegal check to the head of Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.

The hit took place with just over three minutes left in the second period of Game 3. Thornton was handed a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head on the play.

Nosek appeared to be shaken up after the hit but stayed in the game.

Thornton has been suspended just once over his 21-year NHL career. He was handed a two-game ban in 2010 for a controversial hit to the head of St.Louis Blues forward David Perron.

The 39-year-old Thornton recorded his third point of the series on Kevin Labanc's first-period tally in Game 3.

San Jose faces a 2-1 series deficit entering Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas on Tuesday.

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Alex Ovechkin and Andrei Svechnikov dropped the gloves early in Game 3 on Monday night, and it went poorly for the Carolina Hurricanes rookie.

Ovechkin sent Svechnikov to the ice with a heavy right hand, and the 19-year-old needed assistance to get to Carolina's locker room. He won't return to the game due to an upper-body injury, according to the Hurricanes' public relations staff.

Svechnikov, listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, was severely overmatched by his countryman, who comes in at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds.

Carolina also lost forward Micheal Ferland for the remainder of the game with an upper-body injury.

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Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri has been suspended for the remainder of the first round for his cross-check to the face of Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk in Game 2 of the teams' first-round series, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced after an in-person hearing Monday.

It marks the second year in a row where Kadri has been dealt a suspension in the playoffs, as he was given a three-game ban for a hit on former Bruins forward Tommy Wingels last season. It's the fifth time he's been suspended by the league in his 10-year career.

Kadri went after DeBrusk late in the third period Saturday night after the Bruins winger laid a hard hit on Leafs forward Patrick Marleau. Kadri and DeBrusk had gone at it numerous times throughout the first two games of the series before the veteran Leaf lost his cool with the cross-check, which also drew a five-minute major and an ejection.

DeBrusk left the game and underwent a series of tests but will be in Boston's lineup for Game 3 on Monday in Toronto. He's been held pointless in two contests so far.

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Joe Thornton may have started a war of words with his playful jabs at the expense of Vegas Golden Knights enforcer Ryan Reaves on Sunday night.

Reaves responded Monday by taking a shot at the 39-year-old Thorton over his impending hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety over his hit to the head of Vegas winger Tomas Nosek during Game 3 and his insistence that he "barely touched him."

"I've got a buddy with a grandpa going through the same thing," Reaves said, according to Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun. "He can't see very well because he's getting old. Needs glasses. If he gets suspended he's going to have a hard time seeing from the press box."

With three hard-fought games in the books already, it appears this series just gained another level of intrigue. The two teams meet Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET with Vegas holding a 2-1 lead.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have hired Alain Vigneault as their new head coach, the club announced Monday.

Vigneault signed a multi-year contract. A source told TSN's Pierre LeBrun that it's a five-year deal worth $25 million.

He is the 21st bench boss in Flyers history and will succeed interim head coach Scott Gordon, who took over for the fired Dave Hakstol in December.

Vigneault spent five seasons at the helm of the New York Rangers, leading them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2014. He was fired by New York on the final night of the 2017-18 regular season.

Before his Rangers tenure, he coached the Vancouver Canucks for seven campaigns, guiding them to the Cup Final in 2011.

Vigneault's first opportunity as an NHL head coach came with the Montreal Canadiens, whom he served from 1997-2000.

He will also guide Canada at the upcoming World Championship in Slovakia.

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The Nashville Predators will be without two veteran players for the foreseeable future.

Wayne Simmonds is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and Brian Boyle was given the same timetable after having an appendix procedure, the team announced Monday.

The Predators acquired both players in separate deals before the Feb. 25 trade deadline.

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Victor Hedman appears unlikely to suit up in another critical game for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The star defenseman is doubtful for Game 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said Monday, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.

Hedman was held out of Game 3 with an undisclosed ailment.

Columbus took a 3-0 series lead over Tampa Bay with a 3-1 victory Sunday.

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