This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Capitals vs. Predators game on October 29, 2022.
After being shutout 2-0 by the Dallas Stars, the Washington Capitals will look to get their mojo back against the Nashville Predators in Music City. Playing the Preds has been kind to them recently. Washington won both matchups against Nashville last season.
The Capitals will have no line changes from Thursday and Darcy Kuemper will get the start for the seventh time in nine games.
What to watch for? There’s a concerning pattern developing for this Capitals team. They are not consistent in their effort getting to the net. NBC Sports Washington showed a graphic pregame that was notable. In the Capitals’ four wins this season, they’ve scored seven goals from 10 feet or less. In the four losses, they have zero goals from up close. The Capitals have relied on a lot of indirect shots where they find players backdoor. When teams have scouted for that, Washington has seemed to struggle at 5v5.
Evgeny Kuznetsov has no goals this season and has been invisible at times away from Alex Ovechkin. Peter Laviolette has relegated the Russian centerman to the second line and second power-play unit. Can Kuzy find chemistry with Marcus Johansson and TJ Oshie against the Preds?
Both the Capitals and Predators are middling teams early this season. The Capitals are 4-4 and the Preds are 3-4. As a team, Nashville has played pretty good defense (25 goals surrendered) but they have struggled to put the puck in the net, scoring 22 goals as a team — good for 25th best in the NHL.
Tonight’s game is on NBC Sports Washington. Puck drop is a little after 8 pm.
Pregame links
- Conor Sheary used to be the rare bottom-six player who didn’t PK. Now he does and is having early success.
- Vitek Vanecek shut out the defending champs.
- Michal Kempny got stretchered off in a Czech league game.
- A couple former Caps other than Andre Burakovsky ended up on the Avs’ Cup engraving.
- Bruce Boudreau is the second quickest coach of all-time to 600 wins.
- The Coyotes makeshift locker rooms are kinda embarrassing.
- Alex Alexeyev officially loans on a rehab assignment to Hershey.
- Axel-Jonsson Fjallby’s first goal for the Jets was a big one.
Lines
Lineys!#CapsPreds | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/ndr8HZ5vSA
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 29, 2022
#Preds head coach John Hynes confirms there will be no changes to the lines tonight vs. Washington:
Forsberg – Johansen – Duchene⁰Granlund – Glass – Niederreiter⁰Trenin – Sissons – Jeannot⁰Smith – McCarron – Sanford
Josi – Fabbro⁰Ekholm – Carrier⁰McDonagh – Lauzon
Saros
— Emma Lingan (@emma_lingan) October 29, 2022
1st Period
The Capitals gave up a breakaway 13 seconds into the game to Nashville. Darcy Kuemper made a great save on Yakov Trenin to keep it scoreless. Predators have 3 of the first 4 shots on goal. After two Predators crashed into each other near the blue line of the defensive zone, Marcus Johansson raced toward Juuse Saros alone, but his shot hit the crossbar. This game is loosey-goosey and already has the feel that it could be a 7-6 game.
TJ Oshie is missing from the bench. He pulled up lame while trying to backcheck on a rush up ice and left the ice.
The Capitals got the first power play though it was sketchy. The Caps gave up a golden shorthanded chance to the Predators. Then Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome crashed into each other during a zone entry. Strome immediately left the ice afterward but did not miss a shift.
John Carlson is missing from the bench. He fell awkwardly into the boards and a Nashville player fell onto of him.
Saros stopped Anthony Mantha on a breakaway with his left skate.
The Predators hit a post with a point shot on the power play. The puck went past Kuemper’s glove but he was bailed out by the iron.
Great first period from the Capitals. Unfortunately, they scored 0 goals and might have lost two players to possible injury (Carlson, Oshie).
The Capitals outshot Nashville 15-11 and out-attempted them at 5v5, 26-15.
2nd Period
Here’s all we know about the Carlson and Oshie injuries. They are doubtful to return.
Both Kuemper and Saros have made some incredible saves early in the second period.
Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov are out with the Caps’ first power-play unit with TJ Oshie and John Carlson hurt.
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Beck Malenstyn scores on a one-timer up close after a perfect feed by Nic Dowd. It’s Malenstyn’s second point in three games with the Capitals this season and his second career goal. He last scored on November 30, 2021, in a game against the Florida Panthers. (Video)
The Capitals are outshooting the Predators 26-20 through two periods. They are out-attempting the Predators at 5v5, 39-26. The goaltending on both sides has been spectacular tonight.
3rd Period
Let’s see if the Capitals can hang on here.
The third period is being played mostly along the walls.
🚨 2-0 Capitals. Aliaksei Protas scored after the fourth line and third line combined for an extended shift in the offensive zone. Protas scored just a few away from the top of the feet, sweeping a loose puck past Saros. The goal came at the 6:44 mark of the period.
The Predators pulled Saros a little around the four-minute mark of the third.
🚨 3-0 Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-net goal! That’s career goal no. 784.
A full 60. Bronze this game and put it on the wall. An absolutely perfect game from top to bottom. This game marks Darcy Kuemper’s first shutout with the Capitals.
Washington outshot the Predators 35-34 and out-attempted Nashville at 5v5, 51-40.
Links
- RMNB’s game recap
- All about Alex Ovechkin’s 784th career goal
- TJ Oshie and John Carlson leave game injured
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