Feb. 27 vs. Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One Arena
Time: 7:00 p.m.
TV: MNMT
Radio: 106.7 THE FAN/Caps Radio Network
Vegas Golden Knights (28-16-14)
Washington Capitals (30-23-7)
The Caps conclude a quick two-game homestand and start a weekend set of back-to-back games when they host the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night. Along with the Utah Mammoth, the Golden Knights are one of only two teams the Caps have yet to face this season, and Utah comes to town to supply the opposition for Washington’s next home game, on Tuesday. In late March, the Caps will take their last road trip outside the Eastern Time Zone this season, and they’ll visit both Utah and Vegas on that journey.
In Wednesdays homestand opener, the Caps were playing without both John Carlson (lower body) and Tom Wilson (illness). Despite coming out of the gates slowly in the first period, the Caps scored first and never trailed, eking out a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. On his 29th birthday, Team Canada Olympic silver medalist Logan Thompson made 23 saves to record his 20th victory of the season, making his fourth straight season with at least 20 wins.
Trevor van Riemsdyk scored his first game-winning goal in over seven years, converting a sweet Declan Chisholm feed with 5:52 remaining to snap a 1-1 deadlock. Aliaksei Protas scored a shorthanded empty-net goal in the game’s final minute, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the second straight season in the process.
On a night in which they did not have the services of both Carlson and Wilson – two of their top five points producers – the Caps were able to pull two points with key contributions from secondary and tertiary sources such as van Riemsdyk, Chisholm, Hendrix Lapierre, Brandon Duhaime and Rasmus Sandin.
“That kind of sums it up,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “We’ve got to find ways. And sometimes it’s going to come in some maybe not your traditional ways. And we’re going to need – by whatever means possible – to find a way to get two points down the stretch, and sometimes it’s not going to be pretty. And I thought [Wednesday] night was one of those nights.
“I thought we did a decent amount of good things, but we also had some struggles at times. And missing Willie and John are big parts of our lineup, so that has a cause and effect.
“But you get into that game and you get up 1-0 going into the third period, you’ve got to find a way to get two points in that hockey game. We give up a goal on the first shift of the third period; oh geez, now it’s 1-1. [Philadelphia] gets a back door opportunity from [Matvei] Michkov and they’re about to go up 2-1, and [Thompson] makes a massive save.
“And so, those moments – the [Duhaime] screen [on Sandin’s goal] – we’ve got to find a way for each and every guy to contribute. And it might not be every single night, but give us something to where you can help contribute to earning us two points.”
Washington’s blueline corps has contributed to the team’s attack all season; its totals of 42 goals and 160 points from its back end both rank second in the NHL this season.
“I think we all know it's going to take contributions all over the ice this time of year,” says van Riemsdyk. “Teams are dialed into what they're trying to do. It's hard to score, and if you don't have all five guys in the attack, it's going to be really hard to score. So, I think we know how tight it can get this year, and we know that our group of [defensemen] can add a lot to this team. And if we can be aggressive and rely on one another, we're a tough team to deal with.”
Prior to Wednesday’s game, with Connor McMichael coming off injured reserve, the Caps made a roster move. They placed 11-year NHL veteran winger Sonny Milano on waivers, and on Thursday afternoon, Milano cleared waivers and he is expected to be loaned to Hershey.
This is Milano’s fourth season as a Capital, and after delivering double-digit goal totals in each of his first two seasons with Washington, Milano was limited to just three games because of an upper body injury last season. He came to training camp this season seeking to keep his career alive, and he did so by making the opening night roster.
“He's worked so hard and he's been such a good teammate,” says Carbery of Milano. “He's done everything we've asked as a coaching staff. He's never once pouted or had a negative attitude. He's worked his ass off in practice and done everything that we've asked. And it's tough for him, but I will say this. After the year that he had last year – or lack thereof – his goal this summer was to get healthy, number one. And two was to make the Washington Capitals. He hadn't played in so long, and he did exactly that. He had a great training camp, he came in, played well, earned a spot, because that wasn't given to him. He earned a spot, so I give him a lot of credit for that.
“He played well at times, and now we’re just getting to a spot where we’re getting healthy now and with 14 [forwards], we had to make a decision and waive him.”
Wilson was back on the ice with his teammates at Thursday’s optional practice, and he is expected to play Friday against Vegas. Carlson remains day-to-day.
Vegas came out of the Olympic break on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, starting a five-game road trip with a 6-4 victory over the Kings. Despite all five of its Olympic participants – Americans Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin and Canadians Mitch Marner, Mark Stone and Shea Theodore – being given the night off, the Golden Knights erupted for five goals in the third period to prevail over their Pacific Division rivals.
With 70 points in 58 games, Vegas comes to town as the top dog in the Pacific Division standings. Washington has played two more games and it has won two more games than Vegas, while playing two fewer games to this point. The Golden Knights’ .603 points percentage ranks 11th in the NHL while the Caps’ .558 figure ranks 15th.
Vegas and Los Angeles are tied for the most overtime/shootout losses in the League this season with 14 each. That’s already a single-season franchise record for Vegas, which set its previous standard with 10 just last season.
