The Washington Capitals are in Nashville for their final game of their 2026 Mentors’ Trip, a matchup against the Predators.
The Caps will have elite energy in the stands (if they’re in the right suite) because of their dads, but on the ice they’ll be down two big pieces. Tom Wilson will miss another game due to his lower-body injury while Jakob Chychrun was a late scratch due to illness.
Charlie Lindgren will get the start in goal and oppose Justus Annunen on the Predators’ end.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Nashville Predators
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Beauvillier-Dowd-Frank and Sandin-Carlson get the start.
Bad turnover by Sandin in the defensive zone leads to an early chance for the Predators, but Lindgren turns the sharp-angled shot away easily.
Sourdif throws a heavy shot from the side boards on net.
Roman Josi gets tied up with Aliaksei Protas in the defensive zone and he’s going to the box for holding at 5:15. Capitals going to their first power play.
Predators’ Mike McCarron shoot the puck off the ice for a delay of game penalty. Caps will have a 5-on-3 for 1:44 and then another 16 seconds of a 5-on-4 after that. Caps HAVE to score here.
Alex Ovechkin scores his 917th career goal, beating Justus Annunen with a one-timer on a 5v3 power play.
1-0 Washington Capitals
PPG: Alex Ovechkin (20). Assists: J. Carlson (26), R. Leonard (19). Time: 5:56
Alex Ovechkin’s 917th career goal gives him twenty-one 20-goal seasons, second-most in NHL history
Also whoa, another new goalie. Welcome to the list, Justus.
Brandon Duhaime to the box for holding Fedor Svechkov at 13:03.
We’re tied. Stamkos scores on a huge one-timer from the left circle – just like Ovechkin did minutes earlier.
1-1 tie
PPG: Steven Stamkos (19). Assists: F. Forsberg (16), R. Josi (14). Time: 13:15
Duhaime and Frank on a two-on-one, but Frank chunks it.
Per pxp maestro, Joe Beninati, “Erik Haula hauls down Ryan Leonard” at 15:09. Caps back to the power play.
Caps can’t score.
At intermission: The game is tied 1-1. The Capitals outshot the Predators 11 to 8.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
The Predators’ Nick Perbix to the box 56 seconds into the period for hooking John Carlson. Caps going back to the power play.
Justin Sourdif off the ice after taking a puck to the face along the corner. It ramped up his own blade.
Aliaksei Protas to the sin bin for tripping Brady Skjei at 5:51.
Predators can’t convert on the power play, back to 5v5.
Huge hit by Ovi on Skjei.
Connor McMichael rips a spin-a-rama from the slot off the post.
Anthony Beauvillier rips a shot from the right circle off the post. The Capitals have hit the post or crossbar 62 times this season — third-most in the NHL.
A race for a puck. Lindgren drives out and flips Steven Stamkos going for a breakaway!!!!!!!
Caps spend what seems like several minutes in the Predators zone. Nashville played last night and are tired, tired.
Alex Ovechkin to the box for slashing Roman Josi at 18:29.
Connor McMichael with a shorthanded chance down the right wing.
At intermission: The game remains tied 1-1. Caps are outshooting the Predators 20 to 15.
3rd Period
Justin Sourdif will not return to the game due to a lower-body injury.
Justin Sourdif leaves Capitals game against Predators in second period after taking puck to the face
Puck is dropped.
2-1 Nashville Predators
Goal: Cole Smith (5). Assists: R. Josi (15), R. Schaefer (2). Time: 1:12
Hendrix Lapierre to the box for holding Tyson Jost at 1:29. Uh oh, not a good time for that.
John Carlson rips the puck off the ice from the defensive zone – a delay of game penalty at 2:44. 5v3 power play for the Preds now.
Josi rips a huge one past Lindgren. Nobody is stopping that.
3-1 Nashville Predators
PPG: Roman Josi (6). Assists: S. Stamkos (11), R. O'Reilly (25). Time: 3:29
Caps are buzzing now.
Ethen Frank gets tripped by Adam Wilsby after a Matt Roy shot caused a big round in front of the net. Great hard work there. Caps to the power play at 8:18. Why does this feel like a bat call for Ovi?
Ethen Frank scores! He drew the penalty and then scored on the resulting power play.
3-2 Nashville Predators
PPG: Ethen Frank (8). Assists: A. Ovechkin (20), D. Strome (24). Time: 9:03
Caps pull Lindgren with a little over a minute remaining.
Multiple wild scrums in front of the net. Frank and Protas stopped on the door step. Ovechkin’s one-timer hits a player in front but the puck is knocked out of danger. Forsberg clears on his backhand while he’s falling and nearly scores on the Caps empty net.
Predators win 3-2. Caps outshoot Nashville 30 to 21.
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