The Washington Capitals have discovered a strong, early-season rhythm which may present sufficient momentum to halt their current struggles in opposition to the Minnesota Wild.
Searching for a fourth consecutive victory, the Capitals host the Wild on Friday night time.
Washington opened the season with a 3-1 house setback to Boston, then received the following three. The Capitals rallied twice from a objective down to beat Tampa Bay, 3-2 in additional time on Tuesday.
A yr in the past, Washington additionally dropped its season opener, then received 5 in a row.
“It is robust to win a recreation on this league,” stated Washington’s Jakob Chychrun, who scored 1:19 into additional time Tuesday.
“It is simply good to proceed to construct some confidence. … We’re simply attempting to maintain pushing and by no means be happy.”
Chychrun has 4 factors on the younger season, whereas Capitals celebrity Alex Ovechkin has posted two assists, however hasn’t added to his NHL-record 897 objectives so far. It marks the second time in three seasons that Ovechkin didn’t register a objective in his first 4 contests.
Ovechkin has 20 objectives with 18 assists in 25 profession video games versus Minnesota. Nonetheless, the Wild are 7-0-1 of their final eight video games in opposition to the Capitals.
Minnesota star Kirill Kaprizov has not recorded some extent in any of his 4 video games versus Washington, however enters this contest with 4 objectives and 5 assists by means of the primary 4 video games of the season.
Kaprizov posted a objective with an help throughout Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at Dallas.
“We’re nonetheless going by means of it,” stated Wild coach John Hynes, whose staff has cut up the primary 4 video games of the season.
Minnesota is a stellar 10-for-21 on the facility play by means of these 4 video games, however has not scored a 5-on-5 objective in any of the final three contests.
“It isn’t for an absence of offensive zone time, it is not for an absence of photographs, it is not for an absence of alternatives,” Hynes stated about that current drought.
“I believe we simply bought to stick with it. If there was no offensive stress, then I believe it might most likely be a little bit bit extra regarding.”
Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have mixed for seven power-play objectives for the Wild.
In the meantime, Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson has a 3.06 goals-against common whereas dropping two of his three begins this season. Nonetheless, he is 3-1-0 with a 2.72 GAA and .912 save proportion versus Washington for his profession.
Backup Jesper Wallstedt made 31 saves throughout Minnesota’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
Washington’s Logan Thompson has stopped 70 of the 76 photographs he is confronted whereas 2-1-0 to open the season. Teammate Charlie Lindgren, although, might quickly see the web once more after he stopped all 35 photographs throughout the Capitals’ 1-0 highway win over the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Coming off his breakout 30-goal, 36-assist 2024-25 season, Washington’s Aliaksei Protas has three objectives with two assists to start this marketing campaign. Nonetheless, he has not registered some extent in six profession video games in opposition to the Wild.
–Subject Stage Media
