Oilers at Capitals
The Washington Capitals are getting healthier and might be starting to find their top form as they go for a fifth victory in six games this month Sunday night when the disappointing Edmonton Oilers pay a visit. Former Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby won his 200th NHL contest Friday and extended his winning streak to five as Washington knocked off two-time defending champion Pittsburgh 4-1.
“We’re recognizing what works for this group and how we have to play and what doesn’t work,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz told the Washington Post. “We’re sort of building our game, if you will, so we can sustain something that will hopefully get us some more victories.” Top-four defenseman Matt Niskanen (upper-body) is close to returning and the Capitals could get forward Brett Connolly (concussion) back in the lineup against the Oilers, who had won three of four before suffering a 4-2 loss at the New York Rangers on Saturday. Edmonton, which has not won more than two in a row, coughed up a one-goal lead Saturday and allowed a pair of power-play tallies while dropping to 2-1-0 on a four-game trip. Reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid recorded his fourth goal and 11th point in the last nine games for the Oilers, who are 3-3-1 on the road.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVA, Sportsnet (Edmonton), NBCSN Washington
ABOUT THE OILERS (6-9-1): Edmonton recalled right wing Jesse Puljujarvi, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, and the 19-year-old paid immediate dividends with his first NHL goal since opening night 2016-17. Puljujarvi, who had five points in 10 games with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League, was summoned after the Oilers decided to send 18-year-old Kailer Yamamoto (three assists, nine games) back to juniors. McDavid leads the team with 19 points and Milan Lucic had an assist Saturday to become the fifth player with double-digit points.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (9-7-1): Captain Alex Ovechkin is starting to warm up again with three goals and an assist during a four-game point streak after helping set up defenseman John Carlson’s power-play goal Friday. Carlson boasts three multi-point efforts in his last five games and center Evgeny Kuznetsov has four assists in his last four contests to tie Ovechkin for the team lead at 19 points. Right wing T.J. Oshie snapped an eight-game scoreless drought with his seventh goal of the season Friday and fifth on the power play.
OVERTIME
1. Edmonton F Leon Draisaitl was held without a point Saturday after scoring a goal in four of his previous five contests.
2. Washington C Jay Beagle needs one point to reach 100 in his career, but has been kept off the scoresheet in four straight.
3. The Capitals are 4-1-0 versus the Oilers in the last five meetings, including a 5-2 victory at Edmonton on Oct. 28.