Natural High – With four games remaining in the 2024-25 regular season, the Caps have had a banner season, clinching the Metropolitan Division crown and the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. But beneath the veneer of those sparking team accomplishments, most of the Capitals have also ascended to new personal heights this season.
In Thursday’s 5-4 shootout win over Carolina, P-L Dubois reached a career high in points (64), Nic Dowd established career highs in goals (14) and points (26) and Brandon Duhaime set a personal best in assists (12).
That trio of Capitals joins a group of what is now a dozen Washington players who have set new standards for themselves this season in goals, assists and/or points. And the collective individual success has helped lead to a fun, exciting and rewarding season for the team as it celebrates its 50th season of NHL existence.
“I think it's a huge part of it,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “I know sometimes coaches talk about how it's all about the team, and we don't talk about individual achievements. You guys know me by now; I think that's an important part of the team dynamic.
“Yeah, hockey is the ultimate team sport, and we're trying to win a Stanley Cup, and you're trying to win and gain two points every night, and to do things individually inside of a team setting. But at the same time, when you when you commit so much to the team, it's nice to see guys rewarded individually. And for them do whatever it is – whether it's goals, assists, points, new contracts, things like that – that's [great]. These guys ultimately play to win a Stanley Cup, but they also want to achieve individual excellence, and that's through numbers and contracts and whatnot. So we're always happy for guys when they when they achieve those things.”
Back In The Saddle Again – As the Caps seek to get their overall game in order for the impending postseason – which gets underway a week from today – they are resting a couple of stalwarts – Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun – and they’re giving sweaters to a pair of players who’ve been parked on the shelf for a while.
Right wing Ethen Frank and defenseman Alex Alexeyev both draw back into the Washinton lineup this afternoon in Columbus after lengthy spells of NHL inactivity, at least as far as playing in games is concerned. Both Frank and Alexeyev have continued to work diligently at practice and during post-practice skills sessions with assistant skills coach Kenny McCudden.
Today in Columbus, Frank steps into the lineup for the first time in just over a month, since a March 7 game in Detroit. Prior to that, he had been in the lineup for 22 straight games, collecting four goals and three assists in the process.
Alexeyev has not seen NHL game action since Nov. 8 against Pittsburgh, the fifth of five straight games he played while Chychrun nursed an injury. Those are the only five games in which Alexeyev has played this season, though he did have a brief conditioning stint with AHL Hershey, getting into three games with the Bears in the first week of March.
“I'm not going to sit here and say it's an easy situation when you've been sitting for a month or two months,” says Carbery. “Al hasn't played in a long, long time. He got some games in the American League, which was good to sort of stay sharp and be ready for this moment. And these are the challenging parts, but it also is a great opportunity to play really, really well.
“They're going to get a solid amount of minutes. They're going to play in a bunch of different situations, and all they're looking to do is, if you can do that and put on a good performance, individually and collectively with your line or with your [defense] pair on display, I’m not going to tell them that they're going to play game one [of the playoffs], but if anything happens, if it just puts themselves in a good standing with the coaching staff, with their teammates of, ‘Hey, well, my number is called. I'm going to be able to deliver,’ whether it's in game 79, or it's in game one, or game three or game five of the playoffs.”
In The Nets – Hunter Shepard gets the net for Washington this afternoon, becoming the first left-handed catching goaltender to see duty for the Capitals this season. Shepard made his NHL debut last season, getting four starts and positing a 2-1-1 record along with a 3.19 GAA and an .894 save pct.
This season with AHL Hershey, Shepard’s 22 wins (22-11-3) are tied for sixth most in the circuit. He has three shutouts this season along with a 2.81 GAA and an .891 save pct. Shepard will be making his first career appearance against Columbus.
Jet Greaves gets the crease for Columbus this afternoon. He was in net here on Dec. 12, 2024 in Washington’s most recent visit to Ohio’s capital city, and he was impressive in a 2-1 overtime setback that evening.
With AHL Cleveland this season, Greaves is 21-11-6 with three shutouts, a 2.62 GAA and a sparking .920 save pct. With the Jackets in 2024-25, Greaves is 3-2-2 in seven appearances – all starts – with a 2.71 GAA and a .914 save pct.
Greaves stopped 35 of 37 shots in his previous appearance against the Caps this season, yielding both goals to Washington’s Aliaksei Protas in that contest.
All Lined Up – Here’s how we believe the Capitals and the Blue Jackets might look on Saturday afternoon in Ohio’s capital city:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
72-Beauvillier, 17-Strome, 53-Frank
24-McMichael, 80-Dubois, 43-Wilson
88-Mangiapane, 20-Eller, 9-Leonard
22-Duhaime, 26-Dowd, 16-Raddysh
Defensemen
38-Sandin, 74-Carlson
27-Alexeyev, 57-van Riemsdyk
42-Fehervary, 3-Roy
Goaltenders
31-Shepard
79-Lindgren
Extras
6-Chychrun
8-Ovechkin
52-McIlrath
Out/Injured
15-Milano (upper body)
19-Backstrom (hip)
21-Protas (lower body)
48-Thompson (upper body)
77-Oshie (back)
COLUMBUS
Forwards
38-Jenner, 23-Monahan, 86-Marchenko
21-van Riemsdyk, 19-Fantilli, 91-Johnson
10-Voronkov, 4-Sillinger, 24-Olivier
27-Aston-Reeese, 7-Kuraly, 17-Danforth
Defensemen
8-Werenski, 15-Fabbro
5-Mateychuk, 9-Provorov
2-Christiansen, 44-Gudbranson
Goaltenders
73-Greaves
40-Tarasov
Extras
3-J. Johnson
11-Kunin
22-Harris
36-Fischer
Out/Injured
62-Labanc (upper body)
90-Merzlikins (undisclosed)
