Blues at Capitals
The St. Louis Blues are flying high on the strength of a four-game winning streak and a sizzling 9-0-1 stretch to move within two points of first place in the Central Division. The red-hot Blues look to continue their good fortune when they visit the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon. All-Star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has scored the decisive shootout goal in each of the last two contests, a 5-4 victory over Central-leading Nashville on Thursday and a 3-2 decision over Carolina the following night.
While St. Louis continues to pick up victories, Washington fell for the fifth time in six contests (1-3-2) with a 1-0 setback to Montreal on Saturday afternoon. Captain Alex Ovechkin registered a team-high eight shots versus the Canadiens but was unable to solve Carey Price as the latter recorded his second shutout in as many games. With his next goal, Ovechkin will become the fifth player in league history to record 10 consecutive seasons with at least 30 tallies at the start of a career.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE BLUES (31-13-4): David Backes has collected eight goals and as many assists during his career-best nine-game point streak. The captain scored and set up a tally in St. Louis' 4-1 victory over Washington on Nov. 15. Patrik Berglund also recorded a goal and an assist in the first meeting, but his availability for Sunday is in question after sitting out against the Predators with an upper-body injury.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (25-14-10): Nicklas Backstrom saw his five-game point streak come to a halt in Montreal but traditionally has fared well when facing St. Louis. Backstrom has scored six goals and set up four others in his last six contests versus the Blues while Ovechkin has five tallies and nine assists in 10 career matchups. Joel Ward scored the lone goal in the first meeting with St. Louis but has just one point - and assist - in his last eight contests.
OVERTIME
1. While St. Louis will play three of its next four on the road, Washington enters Sunday's contest with an 8-0-1 mark in its last nine at home.
2. The Blues have lost four of their last five visits to the Verizon Center. (1-3-1).
3. The Capitals are 2-6-1 in the latter half of back-to-back contests this season.