Live updates: Washington Capitals vs San Jose Sharks at Capital One Arena

Can the Washington Capitals put together an elusive winning streak? They’ll have another opportunity tonight against the San Jose Sharks, who come into town 6-4-0 in their last 10. Widely expected to be last in the West, the Sharks currently occupy the second wild-card spot.

Macklin Celebrini has come into his own this season and is one of the top players in the league, posting 70 points (24g, 46a) in 45 games. His production trails only two other superstars in the NHL: Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.

The Sharks will be without Will Smith, who is out due to injury, while two-time Calder Cup champion, waiver-wire claim Vincent Iorio, will get a jersey for Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky.

The Capitals will be without Tom Wilson and Justin Sourdif for another game, but Jakob Chychrun is returning from illness. Logan Thompson will get the start in net and oppose Alex Nedeljkovic at the other 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. NHL commisioner Gary Bettman will be at the game after attending the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup celebration at The White House.

Lines

Washington Capitals

San Jose Sharks

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. Protas-McMichael-Beauvillier and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.

Bad turnover down low by the Sharks gives the Capitals a 2-on-0. Connor McMichael sends a centering feed to Anthony Beauvillier but Alex Nedeljkovic makes the splits save at the side of the net.

William Eklund hits Alex Wennberg down the left wing wide open, but Thompson stops him from a sharp angle.

Ethen Frank races to a loose puck in the corner, but then wipes out. I always assume the ice is bad when he falls.

Not much going on in this game. A lot of dump-ins, with not much retrieval.

Sharks get the first power play of the game as John Carlson interferes Macklin Celebrini at 16:14.

Capitals kill the Sharks power play.

At intermission: The game’s tied 0-0. A defensive showdown, what everyone would have guessed! Shots are 11 to 5 Sharks.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

Carlson back to the box 56 seconds in. This time for hooking Celebrini.

Caps kill the power play.

Logan Thompson with a nifty glove save on a Vincent Iorio rip from the top of the circles.

Sharks are outshooting the Capitals 15-5 now with 15:42 remaining in the second period.

Ovechkin finds Strome in the slot who rips a shot off Nedeljkovic’s helmet.

It’s like this entire game, the Sharks are practicing their five-on-five play against the Capitals, who are not very engaged.

Dylan Strome gets the Caps on the board first on the team’s first power play of the night. Alex Ovechkin hit the side of the net with his shot, but it bounced off the boards right to Strome on the other side of the crease. They NEEDED that goal.

Crowd is finally into it now.

Two Capitals run into each other behind the net — Nic Dowd loses an edge and crashes into Chychrun along the end boards– and the puck squirts out to Ostapchuk who collects the biscuit and beats Thompson easily.

Two quick goals. Uh oh. Spencer Carbery is furious, kicking at something on the bench. Bad turnover by Dylan Strome. Collin Graf deflects it over Thompson.

Three quick goals. Carbery looks like he’s gonna explode. Celebrini wins a puck battle, taking the puck from Nic Dowd and Matt Roy behind the net, and sends a no-look backhand pass to Pavol Regenda for a layup.

San Jose is outshooting the Capitals 23 to 8. Please make it stop.

Aliaksei Protas draws a tripping penalty on Tyler Toffoli at 19:50 of the period.

At intermission: The Capitals, who are playing dreadfully, are losing 3-1. Shots are 23 to 9 San Jose.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

Alex Ovechkin’s shot off a faceoff win hits the crossbar and goes out of play.

Caps do nothing with the rest of their power play.

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