Capitals at Flames
The struggling Calgary Flames hope to wake up their dormant offense as they continue a season-long, seven-game homestand against the rejuvenated Washington Capitals on Sunday night. Calgary, which stands 29th in the league at 2.27 goals per game, has been held to two or fewer tallies in eight of 11 games and managed to score just eight times during its current 1-4-0 stretch.
The Flames began their monster homestand with a 2-1 loss to Dallas on Friday, allowing two power-play goals for the third consecutive game and coughing up a lead while outshooting the Stars 30-24. “Both teams had their moments,” Calgary captain Mark Giordano told reporters after the loss. “The bottom line is we are getting our looks, we just have to put them in.” The Flames better find their touch when they take on the Capitals, who regained some momentum and climbed back to .500 with a 5-2 victory at Edmonton on Saturday as Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded a pair of goals and captain Alex Ovechkin notched three assists. The bad news is that Washington is 1-1-0 so far on its three-game road trip, was beaten in four of its previous five games and has been outscored 12-3 in the second of back-to-backs to lose both this season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN Washington, Sportsnet 360 (Calgary)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (5-5-1): Ovechkin and Kuznetsov lead the team with 15 points apiece after their big nights while Nicklas Backstrom has 12 after returning from a one-game absence due to illness. Devante Smith-Pelly scored a goal Saturday after coach Barry Trotz elevated him to a top-six role with Ovechkin and Kuzentsov, while Backstrom centered T.J. Oshie (nine points this season) and Jakub Vrana. Defensemen John Carlson (28:51) and Brooks Orpik (27:47) both played big minutes against Edmonton, while goalie Braden Holtby got the start and stopped 38 shots after Thursday's rough outing at Vancouver in which he surrendered five on 22 shots.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (5-6-0):Calgary is also just 2-for-23 with the man advantage over the last seven contests, but their struggles on the penalty kill have dropped them to 27th in the league (76.6 percent) overall. “We have to find that mojo back here to kill penalties,” Flames coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters. “My experience with these things is they get mental. You get into patches where you can’t keep the puck out of your net, like we are right now.” Left wing Johnny Gaudreau, who had the lone goal Friday, leads the team with 13 points and Calgary could get veteran right wing Jaromir Jagr (lower-body) back in the lineup Sunday.
OVERTIME
1. Washington C Lars Eller had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s win after managing just one point in the previous five contests.
2. Calgary C Sean Monahan leads the team with five goals (one on the power play) and a plus-4 rating.
3. The Capitals have earned at least a point in the six consecutive meetings with the Flames (4-0-2).