Capitals at Hurricanes
The league-leading Washington Capitals attempt to end the calendar year with a double-digit winning streak when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. Washington has been on a tremendous tear while rising to the top of the NHL standings, as it enters the matchup with Carolina having won nine games in a row and earning at least one point in 17 of its last 18 contests (16-1-1).
The Capitals likely will have to vie for their 10th straight victory without some key players as defenseman John Carlson is expected to miss his third consecutive game with a lower-body injury while centers Nicklas Backstrom and Jay Beagle exited Wednesday's triumph over Buffalo with upper-body ailments, with the latter reportedly in need of surgery that will sideline him indefinitely. Captain Alex Ovechkin looks to extend his goal-scoring run to three games after tallying twice on Wednesday. The performance gave him at least 20 goals in each of his 11 NHL seasons and brought him within five of becoming the 43rd member of the 500 club. The Hurricanes have been unable to generate offense against Washington this season, scoring only once in each of their two matchups - both losses.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, CSN-DC (Washington), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (28-6-2): Braden Holtby posted his league-leading 24th victory of the season and the 125th of his career, leaving him four shy of passing Don Beaupre for second place on the franchise list. The 26-year-old, who recorded a career-high 41 wins last campaign, is 16-0-1 with a 1.76 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in his last 18 contests. Washington, which also has won nine straight at home, is five victories away from matching the longest overall winning streak in franchise history set in 2009-10.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (15-17-5): Carolina is coming off a loss at New Jersey on Tuesday that halted its modest two-game winning streak but may have woken up its captain. Eric Staal scored twice in the setback, ending his nine-game goal-scoring drought that concluded a stretch during which he netted one tally in 24 contests. Each of defenseman Justin Faulk's last two goals have come at even strength after his first 12 were scored on the power play.
OVERTIME
1. Ovechkin enters Thursday as the 19th - and most recent - player to register 4,000 shots in his career.
2. Faulk and LW Jeff Skinner lead Carolina with 14 goals apiece, but the latter enters Thursday with a six-game drought.
3. Washington's nine-game winning streak is tied for the longest in the NHL this season (Montreal and New York Rangers).