Two opponents at reverse ends of the luck spectrum sq. off when the Washington Capitals host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
The Capitals are rolling in the course of the early a part of the season, off to a 9-3-0 get started after a 3-2 win in opposition to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. They take a seat 3rd within the Metropolitan Department with 18 issues, two again of each the Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils.
It is a other tale for the Penguins, who’re looking to keep out of the department basement. They’re one indicate of ultimate position within the Metropolitan after their 8th loss of their previous 10 video games on Thursday, falling 5-1 to the Hurricanes.
The Washington offense is clicking with a median of four.08 targets in step with sport (fourth within the NHL) after the staff post 2.63 targets in step with sport ultimate season (twenty eighth out of the 32 groups). The highest line of Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas has performed a key function, particularly Ovechkin, who has six targets in a five-game scoring streak as he cuts away on the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring report.
“I am all the time having amusing,” the Capitals captain stated. “If you end up successful video games, whilst you produce some alternatives to have an opportunity to attain targets, it is all the time amusing to play.”
Nonetheless, the Capitals don’t seem to be depending handiest on one trio. Connor McMichael stocks the staff lead in targets with Ovechkin, each having 8. Tom Wilson is 2d with six. Fourth-line middle Nic Dowd has 4 targets in 12 video games, 9 clear of his career-high set in 2022-23 — in 65 video games.
“Clearly, all people need extra mins, extra time on particular groups, extra duty,” Dowd stated. “That is by no means going to switch. However we now have a actually just right mix of gamers which are excited to be the place they’re, and that simply lets them play higher and feature extra self assurance.”
Washington may be playing stellar play from goalie Logan Thompson, bought from the Vegas Golden Knights in June. Thompson is 6-0-0 to begin his Capitals tenure.
“Simply actually grateful to be right here, be a part of this group,” Thompson stated.
The Penguins, in the meantime, took a step again on Thursday after going 2-0-1 of their earlier 3 video games to in brief part their skid. On the other hand, the Hurricanes scored within the first minute, then cruised to a 5-0 lead prior to Pittsburgh were given a comfort target.
“General, I do not believe it was once as unhealthy because the rating indicated nowadays,” Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson stated postgame. “We simply were given to have the opportunity to get much more self assurance and check out and play with a bit bit extra self assurance right through all the sport. … They are feeling just right about themselves it doesn’t matter what occurs within the sport. That is roughly the spot we need to get to.”
It is been a fight for Pittsburgh at each ends of the ice. The Penguins rank twentieth within the NHL with a median of two.80 targets in step with sport however have not scored greater than 3 since a 6-5 time beyond regulation win in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16, once they did so for the 3rd time in 4 video games.
Unsurprisingly, Evgeni Malkin (4 targets, 12 assists) and Sidney Crosby (six targets, 9 assists) lead the Penguins’ offense. Rickard Rakell is tied with Crosby for the staff lead in targets however has scored simply two times in his previous seven video games, with each coming in the similar sport.
On the different finish, Pittsburgh is thirtieth within the league with a median of three.80 targets in opposition to and is tied with the Montreal Canadiens for essentially the most targets allowed, 57.
–Box Degree Media
