Blues at Capitals
The league-leading Washington Capitals attempt to match the franchise record for victories and clinch their second Presidents' Trophy when they host the playoff-bound St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Washington posted its 53rd win of the season by outlasting New Jersey 1-0 in overtime on Friday, pulling within one of the club mark set in 2009-10 - when it finished first in the league in points (121) for the first time.
The Capitals could already have the award clinched by the time they take the ice, as they need one point gained or one lost by Dallas, which visits San Jose on Saturday afternoon. St. Louis punched its ticket to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season by blanking Vancouver 4-0 on Friday for its team record-tying third consecutive shutout. Brian Elliott has been in net for all three - two of which were against the Canucks, turning aside a total of 71 shots since returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for 10 games. St. Louis, which drew even in points with first-place Dallas in the Central Division with seven contests remaining, won both meetings with Washington last season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), CSN-DC (Washington)
ABOUT THE BLUES (44-22-9): St. Louis secured its spot in the postseason without the help of defenesman Jay Bouwmeester, who missed the win over Vancouver - and also will sit out Saturday's contest - due to an upper-body injury. Vladimir Tarasenko set up defenseman Joel Edmundson's first career goal Friday to put himself one point away from 200 in the NHL. The 24-year-old Tarasenko joined Chicago's Patrick Kane, Dallas' Tyler Seguin and captains Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh, Jamie Benn of Dallas and Joe Pavelski of San Jose as the only players in the league this season to record 30 goals and 30 assists.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (53-15-5): Defenseman John Carlson returned to the lineup in glorious fashion Friday, scoring in overtime after missing 13 games with a lower-body injury. Braden Holtby needs three victories in Washington's final nine contests to tie the single-season record of 48 set in 2006-07 by New Jersey's Martin Brodeur. T.J. Oshie missed his first game of the campaign on Friday due to an illness and is questionable for Saturday's contest against his former team.
OVERTIME
1. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (43) owns a four-goal lead over Kane as he attempts to capture the Maurice Richard Trophy for the fourth straight season and sixth time in his career.
2. Elliott has recorded 20 victories for the second straight season and fourth time in his career.
3. Washington C Nicklas Backstrom needs one tally to reach the 20-goal plateau for the third time in the NHL and first since netting a personal-best 33 in 2009-10.