Do these Caps go to 11? Tonight we’ll find out.
Currently on an 10-game road winning streak, the Capitals can be one victory away from tying the NHL record of 12 with another W. Their foes will be the Dallas Stars, who are trying to be peak distracting by wearing their black and highlighter green jerseys.
Jakub Vrana is in for Hendrix Lapierre. Andrew Mangiapane is a late scratch due to illness. So Lapierre is back again. Charlie Lindgren will face off against Jake Oettinger in net. The Capitals have never beaten Oettinger in four tries.
The Capitals-Stars game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 8:00 pm.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Dallas Stars
Dumb faces from Dowd
🅰️➕ vibes from Judy pic.twitter.com/tIlPKLLXb7
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 17, 2024
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Both Lindgren and Oettinger have made huge saves early to keep it 0-0.
Capitals get the first power play of the game after Matt Duchene hooks Pierre-Luc Dubois at 7:35.
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Dylan Strome (11). Assists: J. Chychrun (12), T. Raddysh (10). Time: 15:39.
Strome deflected a Chychrun shot past Oettinger. Big goal as both teams were trading chances back and forth before this. Strome has scored three goals in his last four games.
Ivan Miroshnichenko was down in a heap after blocking a big shot from Ilya Lyubushkin at the top of the left circle with 25 seconds remaining. He eventually got up but put his head down at the bench in pain.
The Capitals will start the second period on a power play after Oskar Bäck tripped Aliaksei Protas at the end of the first period.
At intermission: The Capitals lead 1-0. Dallas is outshooting the Caps 9 to 7 and are out-attempting them 16 to 13. Even-strength expected goals at five-on-five were close but high: 0.64 DAL – 0.60 WSH.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Duchene stopped by Lindgren on the breakaway. The Stars forward faked a shot, dida kick fake, and then shot on his backhand. Great move, even better save.
Capitals are dominating play in the second period but can’t beat Oettinger. Chychrun was the latest Capital to have consecutive chances but Oettinger made saves on both.
Tom Wilson, who wasn’t hurt enough already, is down on the ice in pain after being cross-checked from behind by Brendan Smith. He got up under his own power, but won’t start on the resulting power play.
Brandon Duhaime and Brendan Smith get in a scrum. Duhaime appeared to be sticking up for Wilson after that nonsense hit in front of the net. Duhaime yapped at him before the faceoff and continued yapping at him at the bench.
John Carlson to the box after high-sticking Jamie Benn.
🚨 1-1 tie. DAL PPG: Roope Hintz (12). Assists: J. Benn (13), W. Johnston (12). Time: 13:28.
Hintz from the bumper spot after some pinpoint triangulation passing.
Bäck had an empty-net but just missed out scoring.
🥊 Brandon Duhaime vs. Brendan Smith. Duhaime just clobbered him. Wow. Five minutes each FOR FIGHTING.
The Caps believe they should be on the power play after Duhaime was cross-checked. They do not.
🚨 2-1 Stars. DAL Goal: Lian Bichsel (2). Assists: J. Robertson (13), M. Bourque (4). Time: 17:35.
Rasmus Sandin’s hand basically has an own goal. Caps now trail 2-1.
Capitals pull Lindgren with 1.6 remaining, trying to score off an offensive zone faceoff.
Strome loses the faceoff.
At intermission: Dallas leads 2-1. The Caps will need another comeback to keep their road streak alive. The Capitals are outshooting the Stars 18 to 16 and out-attempting them 36 to 21 at five-on-five.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Matt Roy to the box for interference at the 0:31 mark. Caps think it was a dive.
Matt Duchaine hits the post or crossbar on a high-danger chance. He looks up to the roof in frustration.
Ivan Miroshnichenko with a deke and a chance, but Oettinger makes the save.
Bäck with a wide open chance in front of the net but Lindgren makes the huge save.
Oettinger robs Dubois.
Bickel checks Dubois into the post dislodging the net. Both teams are very grumpy with each other.
Wilson draws a tripping penalty on Ilya Lyubushkin at the 10:52 mark. The Capitals are 0 for 3 so far tonight. Need one here.
Caps can’t score and arguably the Stars had the better chances on Washington’s power play. 7:06 remaining.
🚨 3-1 Stars. DAL Goal: Roope Hintz (13). Assists: J. Robertson (14). Time: 14:58.
Roope Hintz’s got two after a John Carlson turnover behind the net.
Caps lose 3-1. The Capitals franchise-best road winning streak ends at 10. Washington outshot Dallas 26 to 24 and out-attempted them 52-36 at five-on-five.
Comment below. Refresh for live updates during the game. The thread will be closed shortly after the game is completed.
