Now that Alex Ovechkin is done with the 1,500 games milestone, the question becomes: Can he hit a major milestone in consecutive games? I’m hoping yes.
Tonight, Ovechkin will have another chance to reach 900 goals with a single tally against the Dallas Stars. The Capitals captain, who is sitting at 899 goals, has two tallies in his first nine games, both via one-timers off faceoff wins in the offensive zone.
Against the Stars, the Capitals will be without both Dylan Strome and Rasmus Sandin due to injury. The Capitals will turn to a first line featuring Ovechkin with Connor McMichael and Ryan Leonard, as well as a towering second line of Aliaksei Protas, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Tom Wilson. That should be fun. Tonight, Logan Thompson will also play in his 50th career game for the Capitals. He already holds the record for the most wins in a Capitals goaltender’s first 50 appearances with the team.
Please note — tonight’s a national boi as part of the Frozen Frenzy. Puck drop for Caps-Stars is at 8:50 pm on ESPN.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Dallas Stars
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Protas-Dubois-Wilson and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
The game is on a split screen because the Penguins-Flyers game will just not end.
The first 9:10 of the Capitals-Stars game was on a split screen or just not shown during the ending of the Penguins-Flyers game.
Colin Blackwell writhing on the bench after taking a hit by Tom Wilson along the corner boards with 10:41 remaining.
Sam Steel trips Jakob Chychrun at the ice at 9:52. Capitals go to their first power play of the night.
Ovechkin whiffs bad on his first shot attempt.
Tom Wilson to the box for interference at 13:55. He kinda just existed and knocked Miro Heiskanen over as he skated in front of the net for a screen. Stars to their first power play.
Both teams now 0 for 1 on the power play.
Aliaksei Protas to the box for hooking at 16:41. Spencer Carbery is not happy at the bench.
At intermission: The game remains scoreless. Dallas outshot Washington 9 to 8 in the first period. Logan Thompson kept the score tied with some sensational goaltending again.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Tom Wilson to the box for hooking Radek Faksa at the 20 second mark. That was not a penalty. Uh oh.
1-0 Dallas Stars
PPG: Tyler Seguin (3). Assists: M. Heiskanen (3), M. Rantanen (8). Time: 0:43
Sam Steel to the box for holding at 1:20. Another power play for the Caps.
Ovechkin with a big shot from the top of the circles but he misses high over the net.
Great shift by the Capitals third line, especially Hendrix Lapierre, but they just can’t punch it into the net.
Hendrix Lapierre rips one off the post down the left wing. He’s having a heck of a game tonight.
The Stars didn’t have a shot on goal for the final 16 minutes per ESPN.
At intermission: The Stars are up 1-0. The Capitals are now outshooting the Stars 18 to 14 after dominating play for most of the period. The Capitals just couldn’t hit the net to save their life on their best chances. Should be an interesting third period.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Beauvillier-Lapierre-Frank with a great shift in the offensive zone.
Beauvillier off the ice slowly after an awkward fall by the net.
Sourdif making a move to the net, loses the puck backwards somehow.
Brandon Duhaime to the box for tripping Mikko Rantanen at 5:29. He’s cursing at himself in the box.
Aliaksei Protas rips one off the far post on a shorthanded chance. Oh my gosh.
Stars just got their first shot in 23 minutes of game time, nearly a goal on the door step during the power play.
Incredible stop by Logan Thompson to get his blocker hand on the puck as it slides toward goal line — along with Nic Dowd diving into the net. Wow.
Alex Ovechkin nearly redirects a Jakob Chychrun shot into the net, but Oettinger just gets a piece of it with his right pad.
Pierre-Luc Dubois rips one off the post. The third post they’ve rung in the game.
Capitals get a power play with 5:04 remaining in the game after Lian Bichsel hugs Aliaksei Protas in front of the net. (Interference).
Alex Ovechkin sets up Tom Wilson down low with one of those fake-shot passes, but Tom can’t redirect the puck past Oettinger. Great setup feed though.
Ethen Frank down in a heap after crashing into Mikko Rantanen. He was holding his left arm at a 90 degree angle, like how you’d have your arm in a sling, too on his way down the tunnel.
Logan Thompson off for an extra attacker with under 2 minutes remaining in the game.
Capitals lose 1-0. Capitals outshoot the Stars 24 to 19.
Absolutely zero luck in a defeat to Dallas: Stars beat Capitals 1-0
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