1. How to watch
Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. The puck drops at 7 on MSG and WGR 550.
### 2. The lineup
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was the first goaltender off the ice following the morning skate and is expected to start in goal. The group lined up as follows:
| January 3 at Washington |
| --- |
| LW | C | RW |
| 53 Jeff Skinner | 72 Tage Thompson | 89 Alex Tuch |
| 77 JJ Peterka | 24 Dylan Cozens | 22 Jack Quinn |
| 37 Casey Mittelstadt | 17 Tyson Jost | 71 Victor Olofsson |
| 28 Zemgus Girgensons | 19 Peyton Krebs | 21 Kyle Okposo |
| | | |
| LD | RD | G |
| 23 Mattias Samuelsson | 26 Rasmus Dahlin | 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen |
| 25 Owen Power | 38 Kale Clague | 41 Craig Anderson |
| 78 Jacob Bryson | 46 Ilya Lyubushkin | |
| | | |
### 3. Last time out
The Sabres saw their six-game winning streak end with a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Zemgus Girgensons scored the lone goal for the Sabres, who were playing the second half of a back-to-back set and their third game in four nights.
The Sabres still managed to earn a 71-50 edge in shot attempts and came inches from tying the game in the third period. Tage Thompson sent a shot off the inside of the post while Victor Olofsson had a one-timer from the slot stopped with roughly two minutes to play.
"Any time there's three in four, it's definitely not easy," Girgensons said afterward. "It's tiring. That's when you've got to be mentally strong, adjust mentally the way you play and give a push. I do think our guys did that."
### 4. Number to know
Girgensons has three points in the last three games after scoring against the Senators. He had two assists during a win over Detroit last Thursday.
### 5. Scouting the Capitals
Washington went 11-2-2 in December, which ended with 9-2 victory over Montreal on New Year's Eve. The month saw Alex Ovechkin score his 800th goal and, later, move ahead Gordie Howe for second place on the NHL's all-time list.
Ovechkin added three more goals against the Canadiens, bringing his career total to 806. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for December. (Thompson, who matched Ovechkin with 13 goals and 22 points, was named Third Star.)
Darcy Kuemper is expected to start for the Capitals in goal.
