Capitals at Ducks
The league-leading Washington Capitals look to avoid coming up empty on their California trip when they wrap it up Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks. Washington has suffered three straight 4-2 losses, including setbacks at San Jose on Thursday and Los Angeles two nights later, as its lead over Pittsburgh in the race for the Presidents' Trophy has dropped to one point.
Six-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin is mired in a nine-game goal-scoring drought and has tallied just once over his last 13 contests. Anaheim is hoping to reclaim second place in the Pacific Division after surrendering it to red-hot Calgary, which is in the midst of a nine-game winning streak. The Ducks were denied a third straight victory Friday, as John Gibson allowed a tiebreaking goal with 20 seconds remaining in the third period en route to a 4-3 loss in St. Louis. Rickard Rakell notched an assist while also scoring his team-leading 28th goal in the setback, giving the 23-year-old Swede six tallies over his last seven games.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (44-16-7): Ovechkin's string of consecutive 50-goal seasons will end at three as the captain has netted only 27 tallies in 67 games. Nicklas Backstrom leads the team with 67 points but has yet to land on the scoresheet during the trip to the Golden State. The 29-year-old Swede has scored 21 goals, marking the first time he has eclipsed the 20-goal mark since 2009-10, and registered 25 of of his 67 points on the power play.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (35-23-10): Captain Ryan Getzlaf, who leads the team with 53 points, has landed on the scoresheet in seven of his last nine games — collecting three goals and eight assists in that span. The 31-year-old center recorded the third of his four three-point performances this season in Anaheim's first meeting with the Capitals, registering a goal and two assists in a 6-4 setback at Washington on Feb. 11. Gibson's return from a six-game absence with a lower-body injury allowed the Ducks to assign fellow netminder Jhonas Enroth to San Diego of the American Hockey League.
OVERTIME
1. Rakell is in a three-way tie for second in the league with eight game-winning goals — one behind leader Jeff Carter of Los Angeles.
2. Washington LW Marcus Johansson is stuck on 99 career goals as he enters Sunday's contest with a five-game drought.
3. Anaheim C Ryan Kesler has gone four games without a point, leaving him two assists shy of 300 for his career.