The Washington Capitals are back at Arizona State University to take on perennial bottom dwellers, the Arizona Coyotes. Their matchup against the Coyotes is the final game of their five-game road trip where the Capitals are a respectable 2-2-0.
This will mark the second time the Caps have played at Mullett Arena — the 5,000-seat venue — where they won 4-0 last January.
The big news coming into the game is that Spencer Carbery is healthy-scratching Evgeny Kuznetsov after the Caps head coach benched him late in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Vegas. Carbery hopes it provides a mental reset for the Russian pivot.
Carbery will turn back to goaltender Darcy Kuemper — he of the sub .900 save percentage — in net for the third time in the last four games.
Tonight’s game is on Monumental Sports Network and puck drop is a little after 9:00 pm (EST). Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call.
Lines
Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Alexeyev, and Lucas Johansen are the Caps’ scratches.
Lineys!#CapsYotes | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/eh7k1gumy9
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 5, 2023
1st Period
Darcy Kuemper will oppose Connor Ingram in net. Ovechkin-Strome-Wilson and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
Capitals get first power play but can’t score after Troy Stecher takes an interference penalty on Anthony Mantha.
🚨 1-0 Coyotes. Clayton Keller with a beautiful cross-ice sauce pass to Logan Cooley for the layup on the power play. The Caps PK’ers lost their man. Darcy Kuemper gives up a goal on his first shot.
🚨 2-0 Coyotes. Michael Carcone beats Kuemper clean with three Caps back. That’s two shots, two goals for the Coyotes on Kuemper.
Carbery is leaving Kuemper in the game.
Sean Durzi gets crushed by Tom Wilson with a big hit along the side boards.
Coyotes to the power play after Tom Wilson takes another minor penalty — an interference call.
Durzi no longer on Arizona’s bench. He went back to the locker room.
🚨 3-0 Coyotes. Nick Schmaltz beats Kuemper clean on the power play. That’s three goals on five shots. Charlie Lindgren is replacing Kuemper (who is arguably the team’s backup now) in net. Per the Monumental Sports Network telecast, Kuemper breaks his stick as he leaves the ice.
🚨 4-0 Coyotes. Nick Schmaltz beats a screened Lindgren in front of the net.
🚨 5-0 Coyotes. Jason Zucker scores wide open in front of the net unguarded. That’s five goals on eight shots for the Coyotes. Lindgren has given up two goals on his first three shots.
That’s one of the worst periods of hockey the Caps have ever played. The Coyotes outshot the Capitals 10-9 and, while it sure didn’t feel this way, the Caps out-attempted them at 5v5, 16-9.
This article won’t make you feel better.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Aliaksei Protas is down in a heap after blocking a shot. He’s in pain but staying on the bench.
Protas now down to the locker room gingerly.
🚨 6-0 Coyotes. Capitals give up a two-on-none on their power play. Nick Bjugstad scores easily shorthanded. It’s the first shorty the Capitals have given up this season.
3rd Period
Boys are just playing it out.
Caps lose 6-0. Thankfully it’s over. It’s Connor Ingram’s second shutout of the season. Caps fall to 2-3-0 on their five-game road trip.
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