The Washington Capitals are facing a crucial week as they navigate a tight playoff race in the Metropolitan Division. The team is looking to solidify its position after a 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Here's a look at the week ahead for the Capitals:
Schedule: January 12 – 18 * Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7:00 PM vs Montreal Canadiens at Capital One Arena * Thursday, Jan. 15, 7:00 PM vs San Jose Sharks at Capital One Arena * Saturday, Jan. 17, Time not specified vs Opponent not specified.
Ovechkin's Pursuit Continues
Even at 40 years old, Alex Ovechkin remains a central figure for the Capitals. Recently, he scored his 20th goal of the season in the game against Nashville, marking his 21st consecutive 20-goal season. This achievement moves him past Ron Francis for the second-most in NHL history, with only Gordie Howe ahead with 22 seasons. Having surpassed Wayne Gretzky to become the league's all-time leading goal scorer on April 6, 2025, the question has shifted to "How high can he set the bar?". With 917 career goals, Ovechkin is on pace for a 35-goal season. If he achieves this, he would join Howe and Johnny Bucyk as the only players in NHL history to score 35 or more goals after their 40th birthday.
Injury Concerns
The Capitals are currently grappling with several injuries:
- Justin Sourdif (F): Sourdif sustained an upper-body injury after being hit in the face with a puck during Sunday's game against Nashville. He has been ruled out day-to-day.
- Tom Wilson (RW): Wilson is on Injured Reserve (IR) with a lower-body injury he sustained against the Chicago Blackhawks. While his status is day-to-day, he missed the game against the Predators but is eligible to return soon.
- Jakob Chychrun (D): Chychrun is day-to-day, suffering from an illness.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois (C): Dubois is out long-term due to abdominal surgery and is expected to return after the Olympic break.
Playoff Outlook
The Capitals are currently in a tight race for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, alongside teams such as the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. A significant challenge has been their performance in shootouts, where they have yet to win this season. With a series of home games coming up, securing as many points as possible will be crucial for maintaining their playoff contention.
Several Capitals players are approaching career milestones this season:
- Tom Wilson is nearing his 900th game.
- Alex Ovechkin is approaching 1,500 games played.
- John Carlson is 31 assists away from 600 career assists.
- Rasmus Sandin is four assists away from 100.
- Nic Dowd is nearing both his 100th goal (16 short) and 100th assist (8 away).
With injuries to key players and a competitive playoff race, the Capitals face a challenging but important stretch of games.
