Live updates: Washington Capitals vs Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena

The Washington Capitals are free fallin’ down the standings. Already three points out of the final wild-card spot in the East, our dear Caps are facing a difficult six-game road trip that takes them out west and into Canada.

Their first test will come against the NHL’s best team by a country mile the Colorado Avalanche, who had 10 more standings points than any other team coming in today. Nathan MacKinnon is en midst of a career year. He’s already scored 36 goals, which leads the league, and is second in points (82), trailing only Connor McDavid who has 85.

The Capitals will get Justin Sourdif back today, which will be a boost up the middle, but will be without Tom Wilson for an eighth-straight game.

Charlie Lindgren will start and oppose Scott Wedgewood in net.

Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 4 pm. Today’s game is national and airing on TNT.

Lines

Washington Capitals

Colorado Avalanche

Tunnel shenanigans

1st Period

Puck is dropped. Protas-Strome-Beauvillier and Fehervary-Roy get the start.

Avalanche dominating on the opening shift. The MacKinnon line is scary fast and good.

Justin Sourdif draws a penalty on Ilya Solovyov for holding at 1:49. His speed remains a difference maker. Capitals to their first power play.

First unit nothing going.

Caps second unit out. Sourdif carries in successfully, but sends a panicky backwards pass that handcuffs Anthony Beauvillier, giving Brock Nelson a shorthanded breakaway. Lindgren makes the save.

Cale Makar dances around Ryan Leonard at the blue line. His shot gets deflected by Parker Kelly past Charlie Lindgren sliding the other way.

Ethen Frank with some space down low and sends his shot off the post.

Scott Wedgewood called for tripping at 6:56. Beauvillier knocked Wedgewood’s stick out then a few seconds later, he tripped over it behind the net. Horrendous call.

Chychrun scores from the point on the power play with Ryan Leonard screening in front.

Necas sends a pass off the end boards right to MacKinnon who gets a dangerous shot on net against Lindgren.

Capitals hemmed into their own zone for about two minutes. They escape without being scored on.

Josh Mason high-sticks Nic Dowd right under the chin at 15:42. Caps get their third power play of the period.

Cale Makar with a dangerous shorthanded chance.

Strome to Beauvillier crashing the net down low but Wedgewood makes the stick save.

At intermission: The game’s tied 1-1. Shots are 11-10 Avalanche. If you’re the Caps you have to be happy with that result as they were dominated.

2nd Period

Puck is dropped.

Josh Manson destroys Martin Fehervary behind the net with a big hit. Marty’s okay.

Sourdif to Leonard in the defensive zone – Leonard with a no-look pass to the Avs, bad turnover – Ross Colton hits the crossbar.

Jakob Chychrun with a double minor for high-sticking at 4:23. Officials are reviewing it. The play is confirmed. This is going to be a big test for the Caps.

Sourdif tries to play keepaway in the corner and rag some time off the clock in the Avs offensive zone, but he gives it away, and as he changes, the Avs reload with speed and score. That’s all it takes against a team this talented.

Ivan Miroshnichenko and Samuel Girard both to the box as they battled for a loose puck. Miro for hooking, Girard for holding at 8:50. Four-on-four hockey – this should benefit Colorado, but we’ll see.

MacKinnon from the slot, Lindgren reaches across his body to make with a big glove save.

Carlson muffs a chance down low, then Ethen Frank nearly scores as four-on-four play ends.

Dylan Strome turnover, another point-blank change for the Avs. Please stop with the bad turnovers, my favorite team.

Miro spins and fans on a shot, the buck bounces right to MacKinnon who has a rush down the ice, but doesn’t do much with it.

Matt Roy guarding no one in front of the net. Sourdif ties up his player driving the net, but may have grabbed the wrong guy leaving Olofsson wide open in front to easily bury a rebound.

Caps immediately respond 17 seconds later! Alex Ovechkin, from behind the net, finds Ethen Frank for another goal.

Five goals in the last six games for Ethen Frank.

Great work by Ethen Frank on his next shift, winning a board battle, and it ends up with a Dylan Strome high-danger chance. He’s been the team’s best player today at five-on-five again.

At intermission: The Avs lead 3-2 and are outshooting the Caps 27-20, but folks this is a game headed into the third period, and that’s all you could have asked for in this one.

3rd Period

Puck is dropped.

Capitals spend about 30 seconds in the offensive zone after Sourdif beats an icing call. Great hustle there.

Miro turnover in the defensive zone and Avs’ MacKinnon line spends an extended shift creating havoc.

Chychrun to the box for delay of game – puck over the glass at 4:26.

Huge MacKinnon one-timer from the left circle and Lindgren lunges to make the save.

Anthony Beauvillier takes a hooking penalty on Martin Necas. Pretty iffy call there. Avs will have a 1:26 five-on-three.

Nelson hooks down Dowd. Now we’re going to a four-on-three power play for 59 seconds for the Avs.

MacKinnon with another big one-timer off Lindgren’s mask. He’s battling hard out there.

Capitals do nothing with their short power play.

Strome turnover. Nelson toe-drags past Sandin WHOA and Lindgren makes the save on the semi-breakaway. Wow.

The buck bounces off Necas’s stick behind the net and it goes right to Alex Ovechkin in the right circle. Necas reaches over and appears to deflect the shot out of play. That was a close one.

Set play. MacKinnon holds onto the puck above the left circle as Makar jumps into the play. Boom.

4-2 Colorado Avalanche. Goal: Cale Makar (15). Assists: N. MacKinnon (47). Time: 11:05

Capitals are using a Coach’s Challenge for goaltender interference. Lindgren lost his stick to Necas’s leg as he slid over to try and make the save on Makar. Would be shocked if this goal is reversed. Not goaltender interference.

Goal called back for goaltender interference. Wow. Prayer answered.

Sourdif loses the puck along the sideboards. Avs 2-on-1. Feels like this was gonna happen after the very odd ruling for goaltender interference. Puck don’t lie.

With 5:17 remaining, the Capitals only have one shot on goal. That’s not gonna get it done.

Rasmus Sandin breaks his stick over the crossbar after Nathan MacKinnon scores on his turnover behind the net.

That’s MacKinnon’s 1,100th point by the way.

Charlie Lindgren taking matters into his own hands, trips Olofsson at 19:42. Both goalies have now taken a penalty in this game.

Capitals lose 5-2. You could say the Capitals’ season is snowballing. Avalanche had 43 shots in the game.

Avalanche beat Caps 5-2: What did you expect?

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