This is your place to check for updates and comment along with the Washington Capitals vs. Dallas Stars game on December 15, 2022.
In late November, a postseason berth for the Washington Capitals seemed super unlikely. Now, our favorite team is flying high. The Capitals are on a five-game winning streak and it’s resurrected their season. Alex Ovechkin is also on a heater.
The Capitals captain has seven goals in his last four games after scoring a hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. He now has 800 goals and has NHL legend PK Subban saying he might end his career with 1,000.
Times are good in Washington, but because of that terrible, no-good start, the good times must remain for the foreseeable future. The Capitals still remain out of the playoffs if they started today. Tonight, they face one of their toughest tests of late, a home date against the Dallas Stars who are the best team in the Central Division.
The Stars own the best goals differential (plus-26) in the West and are buoyed by a strong offense. They have the third most goals (110) in the NHL.
What to watch for? Alex Ovechkin can tie or pass Gordie Howe (801) for second on the all-time goals list. After watching Ovi over the last two decades, part of me thinks he passes Howe in the first 20 minutes. Pregame, Ovi said his family is in attendance and we know how that gets him going.
Charlie Lindgren is undefeated since taking over for Darcy Kuemper. 5-0-0. He should stay in net until he has a clunker. I cherish him mustache.
More man games lost! Sonny Milano is out due to being sick.
Tonight’s game is on NBC Sports Washington. Puck drop is a little after 7 pm.
Links
- No Milano
- Several good updates from practice
- Ovi to Ovi Jr: Scoring goals is my job
- Ovi loved his beer shower because “I love beers”</li>
- More rivalry nights? Hell yes. I <3 pageviews.
- The Gr8 Chase logo revealed
- All our awesome Ovi 800 coverage
- Capitals’ women’s cut Reverse Retro jerseys are finally online
- New Ovi800 bobbleheads
Pregame shenaningans
LET'S GOOOooOOoooOOOooOO#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/CfYVlzNuOP
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 15, 2022
Lines
Eller’s back. Milano’s gone. The Caps second line looks awesome.
Lineys!#CapsStars | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/M5vwj4EGG1
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 15, 2022
1st Period
Capitals start Ovechkin-Strome-Sheary and Gustafsson-Carlson. Stars get first power play of the game.
What a moment this was!
Ovi Jr turns Alex Ovechkin’s goal counter to 800 after tribute video
Erik Gustafsson turns over the puck to Jason Robertson and Charlie Lindgren makes a couple of huge saves. Wow.
Did you have the same excitement I did when the Capitals had their first power play? It felt like history was about to happen at any moment. The whole game is going to be like this.
The Capitals outshot the Stars 16-14 in the first period, but the Stars out-attempted them at 5v5, 20-19. The Stars have an expected goals lead of 1 to 0.98.
2nd Period
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Alex Ovechkin slap pass finds Conor Sheary down low for a layup. The goal came at the 9:23 mark.
Capitals mostly dominating the second period. The Capitals have the last 9 shots on goal. Great forecheck.
Another power play for the Caps. Could this be the moment?
Huge anticipation from the crowd on the two one-timers Ovi had from his office on the PP, but he couldn’t score.
Anthony Mantha takes a tripping penalty after hauling down Joe Pavelski. Stars get a PP with 18 seconds left in the period.
The Capitals hold a ridiculous 31-19 shots-on-goal advantage and it’s a slaying at 5v5 attempts, 45-19. In expected goals, the Caps are also beating the Stars 2.16 to 1.34. This was one of the best periods of the season for the Caps.
3rd Period
🚨 1-1. On the power play, Jamie Benn scores on a rebound that finds him at the doorstep. It’s Benn’s 12th goal of the season. The goal came 48 seconds into the period.
🚨 2-1 Stars. Uh oh. A Colin Miller point shot went off Lars Eller’s arse and in. That’s some terrible luck. The goal came at 2:07. That’s two Stars goals in 1:19.
The Caps couldn’t get one back. They lose 2-1. They outshot Dallas 46-26 and out-attempted them at 5v5, 58-40. Jake Oettinger won this game for the Stars. No Ovi history either. Double Whammy.
Comment below. Refresh this article throughout the night as we’ll be updating it live.
