The Capitals face the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight in the second of three meetings between the teams this season. Washington holds a 73-56-10-6 record against Toronto all-time.
Alex Ovechkin, who entering tonight has 66 points (37g, 29a) in 46 career games against Toronto, recorded a hat trick against the San Jose Sharks last night, his 23rd career hat trick and his third this season. Ovechkin passed Teemu Selanne and tied Jari Kurri for the 10th most hat tricks in NHL history. It marked the first hat trick Ovechkin has recorded against San Jose, his 15th different team he's recorded a hat trick against. Brett Hull paces the NHL with hat tricks against 20 different franchises. That also marked his 129th multi-goal game, and including his seven multi-goal games in the playoffs, Ovechkin is tied with Teemu Selanne (136) for the most multi-goal games since 1992-93, despite Ovechkin's rookie season starting in 2005-06. Additionally, Ovechkin recorded his 400th career even strength goal on last night. He is one of three players in NHL history to record 400 even strength goals within his first 14 seasons (Wayne Gretzky and Marcel Dionne). Ovechkin now sits at 643 career goals, the 14th most in NHL history, and he is 14 goals shy of passing Brendan Shanahan (656) for the 13th most goals in NHL history.
Today
5:15 p.m.: Head coach Todd Reirden media availability, Scotiabank Arena
7:30 p.m.: Washington at Toronto Maple Leafs, Scotiabank Arena
TV: NBCSN
Audio: FAN 106.7 FM, Caps Radio 24/7, Caps Mobile App, WashingtonCaps.com
Thursday, Jan. 24 through Wednesday, Jan. 30
All-Star Game break/bye week
Thursday, Jan. 31
2 p.m.: Practice, MedStar Capitals Iceplex
January 23, 2019
Must Read/See/Hear Material
Dump 'n Chase: Caps Take on Leafs in Toronto / Six The Hard Way
Washington Post: Alex Ovechkin to play Wednesday, miss Calgary game on Feb. 1 for skipping All-Star Game / Sharks beat the buzzer, then beat the Caps, 7-6, in OT as Washington drops sixth straight / Reirden addresses five-game skid: The 'mistakes we're making, they're big ones'
Washington Times: Alex Ovechkin's hat trick can't atone for Capitals' gaffes in loss to Sharks
The Athletic: Inside Braden Holtby's collaboration with the Capitals' goalie coach
NBC Sports Washington: Capitals' losing streak extends to six in stunning OT loss to Sharks
NHL.com: Ovechkin gets hat trick, Capitals lose to Sharks on Hertl goal in OT / 'Wednesday Night Hockey': 5 Storylines (Washington Capitals mentioned) / Sharks at Capitals preview
AP: Tomas Hertl Completes Hat-Trick, Sharks Beat Caps 7-6 in Overtime / Hertl completes hat trick, Sharks beat Caps in overtime / In 6 straight loss, Caps fall to Sharks in overtime 7-6
The Mercury News: Sharks win a thriller on Hertl's OT hat trick / Takeaways: Sharks avert disaster with improbable comeback
NBC Sports: The Buzzer: Hertl, Ovechkin trade hat tricks in 13-goal game / Capitals' Ovechkin to play Wednesday, sit first game after all-star break / Time to feel old: NHL players take '80s, '90s quiz (Evgeny Kuznetsov mentioned)
NBC Sports Bay Area: Sharks' crazy comeback over Capitals is a testament to their character
Reuters: NHL roundup: Predators dispatch struggling Avalanche (Washington Capitals mentioned)
Sporting News: Alexander Ovechkin notches hat trick, extends lead in NHL goal scoring race
Sports Illustrated: Carefree and Unfiltered, Evgeny Kuznetsov Is Washington's Free Bird
Stats/TSX: Leafs, Caps aim to end slumps before All-Star break
Toronto Sun: GAME DAY: Capitals at Maple Leafs
Toronto Star: Wednesday game preview: Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs
Yahoo Sports Canada: Evander Kane's last-second goal epitomizes wild Capitals-Sharks clash
TV/Audio Clips:
Washington Capitals: Todd Reirden Post | January 22 / Postgame Locker Room | January 22
NBC Sports Washington: Pregame Rush: Can Caps enter All-Star break on a high note?
NHL.com: Puck Personality: '80s, '90s TV (Evgeny Kuznetsov, T.J. Oshie featured)
TSN: Part 1 of NHL superstars as oil paintings (Alex Ovechkin featured)
Leafs Clips:
The Athletic: Kyle Dubas has a fine line to walk with Leafs in the coming weeks and months
Toronto Star: The Maple Leafs might not have the miles to win a Stanley Cup
Toronto Sun: TRAIKOS: Marner's next contract could threaten Leafs' financial structure / Maple Leafs GM Dubas defends Nylander, Gardiner / Leafs' Gardiner will return on Wednesday if back troubles clear up / Maple Leafs' losses continue to mount as they fall to Coyotes
