One team is on a two-game winning streak, while the other is on a two-game skid. Can the Carolina Hurricanes make it three wins in a row, doing so against the team one spot ahead in the standings?
Washington’s strong start to the season is one of the biggest surprises of the NHL season. Most preseason predictions had the Capitals on the playoff bubble or missing the postseason.
The oldtime Southeast Division rival smashed those predictions. Washington is tied for fourth in the NHL with 44 points, sitting three ahead of Carolina in the Metropolitan Division standings. The Capitals are just one of four teams remaning with single digit losses on the season.
Last season, Washington ranked 27th in a goal differential. The -37 goal differential was the worst among all playoff teams.
This year, the Caps have flipped that differential. At +35, Washington’s goal differential is second best in the league.
A major factor in Washington’s improved defense is the offseason acquition of goaltender Logan Thompson.
Thompson has a 12-2-2 record this season, with a 2.48 goals against average and .911 save percentage.
Two other important offseason additions on the backend were Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy.
Chychrun has nine goals and 12 assists in 26 games this season. He is on the first powerplay unit alongside John Carlson and has tallied two goals and four assists on the man advantage.
Roy was brought in to be a shutdown defender and, so far, is living up to his six year contract. Among Capitals defenders, he has the lowest expected goals against in five-on-five play.
On offense, Washington is back to their goal scoring ways. The Capitals rank fourth in the NHL with 118 goals scored this season.
Dylan Strome is once again leading the way for Washington. He has 38 points in 31 games to lead the Caps, and that points total ranks 14th in the league.
Alexander Ovechkin will not play tonight as he is still recovering from a fractured fibula. Despite missing 13 games, he ranks fourth on the team in points and is tied with the goals lead with Connor McMichael.
For the Canes, expect Pyotr Kochetkov back in the net tonight after his shutout performance on Tuesday.
Although not as dangerous without Ovechkin on the dot, Carolina will look to keep their perfect month of penalty killing intact.
On the flip side, the Canes’ powerplay continues to regain its effectiveness. The fourth-ranked Carolina powerplay will go against Washington’s sixth-ranked penalty kill. This will be a key special teams matchup on the road.
No lineup changes are expected, but keep an eye out for line combinations.
Here’s how to check out the action:
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- Location: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
- TV: FanDuel Sports Network South with Mike Maniscalco, play-by-play; Tripp Tracy, color analyst; Hanna Yates, in-game reporter; Shane Willis, analyst.
- Radio: 99.9 The Fan
- Line: ML: CAR -142; PL: CAR -1.5 +180
