On a three game winning streak for the first time this season the 11-7-3 Washington Capitals host the 10-9-2 Detroit Red Wings in a 4 PM matinee affair at Capital One Arena. The Capitals are coming of a 4-2 win over Chicago Thursday and will leave after the game for New York for games vs the Rangers tomorrow and then Monday vs the Barry Trotz led Islanders.
After a slow start Detroit is playing well coming off a 3-2 win over Boston on Wednesday night and have lost only two of their last eleven games and both the losses came by a one goal margin. In the tough Atlantic Division the Wings are 6th place with 22 points only three back of Washington’s 25.
Alex Ovechkin has 21 points in 23 career games vs Detroit with 12 goals as the Russian winger continues to pace the Capitals scoring attack this season with 15 goals and 24 points. Nicklas Backstrom also enjoys playing the Wings amassing 18 points in 20 games. Backstrom also needs just three points to pass Capital great Peter Bondra (825)for second place in all-time franchise scoring.
CAPS TODAY: Nicklas Backstrom is just three points shy of passing Peter Bondra (825) for second place on the Capitals' all-time point list. More info on Backstrom and the Capitals provided at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/LNaOzUle5X
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 23, 2018
The Capitals have two more points than they did at this juncture last season and while consistency hasn’t been where they would like they are having a good start to the season individually wise. Ovechkin, Backstrom, John Carlson, Lars Eller, Jakub Vrana and Dmitry Orlov all have more points this year than last year after the same amount of games. Orlov’s career 101 points over the last four season is tops for all active Russian born defensemen.
Expect Braden Holtby in the pipes for Washington as the franchise goalie continues his upward trend of late with a 3-2 record over last 5 appearances with a 1.72 GAA and .950 SV%. His career stats vs Detroit are good as well with a 9-2-2 record and .920 SV%.
Detroit leading scorer Dylan Larkin has 19 points placing him in a tie for 56th in the NHL as only six teams have scored less than the Wings so far. Andreas Anthanasiou leads the team in goals with nine and former Capital Mike Green has 1 goal and 9 points in 12 games.
Evgeny Kuznetsov and TJ Oshie remain on the day-to day list and will not suit up in Motown.
Capital Gain:
John Carlson passed Sergei Gonchar for fourth in all-time franchise defense scoring with 272 points. Devante Smith-Pelley needs 3 points for career 100