Photo: InPlayMagazine
The Washington Capitals face off with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (7 PM ET, ESPN) for the third and final time this season in the biggest game of the season for both squads to date. After Detroit took an 8-3 decision exactly six weeks ago, Washington responded with a 4-3 overtime win four weeks later.
Biggest game of the year so far tonight. 40 percentage point swing for the Wings and 33 point swing for the Caps https://t.co/QDOrXeNeuZ pic.twitter.com/MVRrerO7DK
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) April 9, 2024
Schedule
Washington: opens two-game Atlantic Division road trip, continues span where they are on the road for four of six (0-3-1 so far)
Detroit: close out three-game homestand (1-1-0) before opening two-game Northeastern road trip at Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday
How Each Team Is Doing
Washington: has lost six straight (0-4-2) since three-game winning-streak, stretch where they went 14-7-2 ended with their win over Detroit
Detroit: 2-3-2 since winning three of four but has won two of their last three
Standings
Washington: 36-30-11 (.539 points percentage — fourth in Metropolitan Division, ninth in Eastern Conference); one point behind Detroit (with each team down to five games left) and Pittsburgh (four) for final wild-card spot in East, two points back of New York Islanders (five) for third in Metropolitan, tied with Philadelphia Flyers (four) for 10th in East, three points up on both New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres (four)
Detroit: 38-31-8 (.545 points percentage — fifth in Atlantic Division, eighth in Eastern Conference); cannot finish higher than the second wild-card with one more point lost between them or Tampa Bay Lightning gain
Team Leaders
Larkin (tied for 28th) and Ovechkin (tied for 39th) both rank among the NHL’s top-40 in goals. Carlson, who is just four seconds off of the league lead in ice-time per game (Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty), and Gostisbehere are tied for 55th in assists. Strome is tied for 60th in points.
Team Statistics
Detroit ranks ninth in goals and on the power play but also allows the ninth-most. Both teams are among the seven-worst in shots and Detroit yields the fifth-most against. Washington is better than only the Arizona Coyotes and Buffalo in faceoffs and has scored the fifth-fewest goals.
Washington bests Detroit in every possession category despite not ranking better than 24th in any of the three but Detroit has had better puck luck this season. Only the Vancouver Canucks (10.66%) have finished their shots better than Detroit, who is tied for fourth in PDO with Arizona.
Expected Goalie Matchup
Both goaltenders have posted similar stats this season.
Injuries/Illnesses
Washington
- D Ethan Bear (NHLPA players assistance program)
- C Nicklas Backstrom (hip)
- D Rasmus Sandin (upper-body)
Detroit
- G Ville Husso (lower-body)
- C Michael Rasmussen (upper-body)
Projected Lines
Washington
Ovechkin — Strome — Wilson
Aliaksei Protas — Connor McMichael — T.J. Oshie
Max Pacioretty — Hendrix Lapierre — Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn — Nic Dowd — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary — Carlson
Vinny Iorio — Nick Jensen
Alexander Alexeyev — Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: RW Nicolas Aube-Kubel, RW Ivan Miroshnichenko, C Mike Sgarbossa, D Lucas Johansen
Detroit
DeBrincat — J.T. Compher — Patrick Kane
David Perron — Dylan Larkin — Lucas Raymond
Robby Fabbri — Andrew Copp — Christian Fischer
Austin Czarnik — Joe Veleno — Daniel Sprong
Ben Chiarot — Seider
Simon Edvinsson — Jeff Petry
Olli Maatta — Gostisbehere
Lyon
James Reimer
Scratched: D Justin Holl
Betting Odds (BetMGM)
Washington: +125, Detroit: -155
Over-under: 6 (-110 over/under)
By Harrison Brown
