Senators at Capitals
The Washington Capitals attempt to break out of their funk and reclaim first place in the Metropolitan Division when they host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Washington fell one point behind Philadelphia for the top spot with Monday's 5-1 loss at Columbus, which was its fourth defeat in six games - with the two victories coming against Eastern Conference-worst Buffalo.
Captain Alex Ovechkin scored the lone goal against the Blue Jackets to increase his league-leading total to 39 and move him within three of 600 for his career. Ottawa looks to halt its four-game slide (0-3-1) as it kicks off a four-game road trip. The Senators' latest setback was a 5-3 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday in which Mark Stone notched a pair of assists to extend his point streak to five contests. The 25-year-old right wing, who leads Ottawa with 56 points, has recorded three straight two-point performances (all assists) and four overall during his current run.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN5, RDS (Ottawa), NBCS Washington
ABOUT THE SENATORS (21-30-10): Ottawa made a pair of deals on Monday prior to the trade deadline, sending defenseman Ian Cole to Columbus and Nick Shore to Calgary while receiving a prospect and two draft picks in return. The 29-year-old Cole had been acquired from Pittsburgh in the three-team trade involving Derick Brassard on Friday but did not appear in the following day's loss to the Flyers, while the 25-year-old Shore notched an assist in six contests after being obtained from Los Angeles on Feb. 13. Captain Erik Karlsson, who was involved in trade rumors but remained in Canada's capital, is two points shy of 500 for his career.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (35-21-7): Ovechkin has been on a tear of late, recording seven goals in his last nine games while landing on the scoresheet in 19 of his last 25 contests - a stretch during which he has collected 16 tallies and 18 assists. The 32-year-old Russian became Washington's all-time leader in games played on Monday as he appeared in his 984th contest to snap a tie with Calle Johansson. Lars Eller had his three-game goal-scoring streak snapped by Columbus, keeping him one shy of 100 career tallies.
OVERTIME
1. Stone has registered six two-point efforts over his last nine contests, collecting a goal and 11 assists in those outings and a total of 14 points in that nine-game span.
2. Washington D Jakub Jerabek could make his team debut against the Senators, as he has been a healthy scratch for three games after being acquired from Montreal on Wednesday.
3. Ottawa LW Magnus Paajarvi, who has recorded two goals in 14 games since being claimed off waivers from St. Louis on Jan. 26, is one point away from 100 in the NHL.