Capitals at Panthers
The Washington Capitals have yet to win a game since their league-mandated five-day break and the Metropolitan Division leaders hope to change that scenario when they visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday night before the All-Star break. The Capitals have lost four of five overall, dropping two games in overtime and another to Montreal in regulation after enjoying Jan. 12-18 off.
Washington coach Barry Trotz was not displeased with his team’s effort on Sunday in the 2-1 OT loss to Philadelphia as the Capitals limited shots against (23) while struggling to finish their plentiful amount of good chances. “Our goal is to ramp our game up and hopefully be at peak for when it matters most,” Trotz told reporters of his team, which leads the division by five points. “We’re going to be in tough games. … Everybody’s in playoff mode. There’s not much separating us from eighth.” Florida has managed only two wins in its last eight games (2-5-1) after suffering a 6-1 loss at Dallas on Tuesday as the team’s top five scorers were blanked and goalie James Reimer suffered a lower-body injury early on. “You score one goal on the road, you’re not going to win a lot of hockey games,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner told reporters.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Florida
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (28-15-5): Washington has had to play an extra session in nine of its last 15 games and came out on top in five, but managed only seven goals in its last four losses overall. Captain Alex Ovechkin, who leads the league with 29 goals, produced five of his team-best 51 points in the last four games, but center Nicklas Backstrom has gone three contests without a point and right wing T.J. Oshie is without a goal in his past 12 outings with five assists during that span. All-Star goalie Braden Holtby (24-9-2, 2.68 goals-against average, .916 save percentage) hopes for a big effort before the break after allowing eight tallies in his last three games.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (19-21-6): Defenseman Aaron Ekblad had the only goal Tuesday and boasts three in his past five games, leaving him one shy of his fourth straight season with at least 10 to start his career. Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau had his seven-game point streak end Tuesday, but has 10 of his team-leading 46 in the last eight contests, while Evgenii Dadonov owns eight in his last seven outings. Center Vincent Trocheck (three goals, three assists in his last five games) and All-Star Aleksander Barkov (four goals, six assists in his last eight contests) are tied for second on the team with 43 points apiece.
OVERTIME
1. Florida G Harri Sateri, would likely be in net if Reimer can’t go Thursday, is 0-2-0 with an .861 save percentage in three NHL appearances - one start.
2. Ovechkin is one assist shy of 500 and Backstrom needs three goals to reach 200 in their careers.
3. The Panthers are 4-2-1 in their last seven meetings against the Capitals, including a 4-1 triumph at Washington on Oct. 21.