Golden Knights at Capitals
Marc-Andre Fleury has three Stanley Cup rings to his credit, but an inability to win a fourth in June has the normally mild-mannered goaltender seeking payback. Fleury aims to exact a bit of revenge and turn the tables on a slow start to the season on Wednesday as the Vegas Golden Knights play the third contest of their five-game road trip against the defending champion Washington Capitals.
"I'm looking forward to it. Of course they beat us last year. I think if we can give it back to them for one year, it would be nice," Fleury told reporters Monday after his save percentage dropped to .841 following Vegas' 4-2 setback to Buffalo at KeyBank Center. The 33-year-old followed up a career-best totals in goals-against average (2.24) and save percentage (.927) by yielding 20 goals of 136 shots (.853 save percentage) as the Golden Knights fell to the Capitals in five games last summer. Washington has had plenty of time to cool its jets after opening the season with a 7-0 romp of Boston last Wednesday before dropping a wild 7-6 overtime decision to rival Pittsburgh the following night. T.J. Oshie has started the season with a flourish by recording a goal and an assist in the opener before scoring 21 seconds apart in the third period to cap a three-point performance versus the Penguins.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (1-2-0): Vegas' offense isn't breaking the bank as the club has mustered just five goals in three games this season. Jonathan Marchessault doubled his point total by scoring and setting up a goal against the Sabres, and the 27-year-old looks to provide more offense after notching just three assists during the Stanley Cup Finals. Fellow center William Karlsson followed up a promising start to the Finals by being held off the scoresheet for the final three contests, and that drought has continued as the 25-year-old Swede has yet to score a goal after leading the team in both tallies (43) and points (78) last season.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (1-0-1): Three-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin tallied in both contests this season to increase his career total to 609 goals, one shy of "The Golden Jet" Bobby Hull for 17th in NHL history. Ovechkin wasn't shy against Vegas on the league's grand stage in June, collecting three goals and two assists en route to wrapping up Conn Smythe Trophy honors. Russian countryman Evgeny Kuznetsov erupted for eight points (one goal, seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Finals and picked up where he left off this season, scoring twice versus the Bruins before setting up a goal against the Penguins.
OVERTIME
1. Vegas is 0-for-8 with the man advantage this season after finishing with the 11th-ranked power play (21.4 percent) in 2017-18.
2. Washington, on the other hand, is a blistering 4-for-8 with the man advantage.
3. Golden Knights C Paul Stastny (undisclosed) is questionable to play on Wednesday, per coach Gerard Gallant.