The Washington Capitals (15-9-2) aim to build on a gritty 4-2 road win over Toronto on November 29, traveling west to face the Los Angeles Kings (12-6-7) in a cross-country inter-conference battle at Crypto.com Arena. Washington, riding a three-game point streak and chasing the Metropolitan Division lead, leans on Alexander Ovechkin’s record-chasing form (908 career goals) to test LA’s stingy defense (12th in GA at 2.6 per game). The Kings, fresh off a 2-1 OT thriller over Vancouver on November 30, seek a third straight home victory to solidify their Pacific standing, with Anze Kopitar’s two-way mastery anchoring a unit that’s allowed just 1.9 goals per game over their last 10. This rematch of their November 17 clash (Caps 2-1 win) promises physicality and special-teams fireworks—LA’s elite 30.2% power play (3rd in NHL) vs. Washington’s middling 20% PK (18th)—in a matchup that could hinge on goaltending, with Charlie Lindgren’s .915 SV% facing Darcy Kuemper’s familiarity from his Capitals days.
Venue
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, 1111 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Capacity: 18,230. This downtown LA staple, the Kings’ home since 1999 (rebranded in 2021), features a vibrant atmosphere with its “Fours” seating and raucous crowds—ideal for igniting LA’s forecheck against East Coast visitors like the Caps.
Puckdrop: 10:30 PM ET (7:30 PM PT). Broadcast: ESPN+ (national streaming), Monumental Sports Network (Caps local), Bally Sports West (Kings local), NHL Network (highlights). Late-night slot amps West Coast energy, with post-game analysis focusing on Ovechkin’s milestone hunt.
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away Split | Metropolitan/Pacific Division Standings | Key Stats (GF / GA / Power Play %) |
| Washington Capitals | 15-9-2 | 9-5-1 Home / 6-4-1 Away | 2nd (5-3-1 div.) | 3.4 / 2.5 / 20.0% |
| Los Angeles Kings | 12-6-7 | 6-4-4 Home / 6-2-3 Away | 3rd (3-3-3 div.) | 2.7 / 2.6 / 30.2% |
Washington ranks 4th in GF (88 total) but 15th in GA (65), powering their surge with opportunistic scoring, while LA’s balanced ledger (17th GF at 67, 12th GA at 65) stems from top-tier special teams and depth.
Recent Team Forms
Washington’s rally caps a strong November; LA mixes wins with ties in a resilient stretch.
Capitals (7-2-1 in last 10): Washington stormed back from two goals down for a 4-2 win at Toronto on November 29 (Chychrun’s GWG), following a 5-3 W vs. Winnipeg (November 27, Ovechkin’s 908th) and 4-1 over NY Islanders (November 24). Averaging 4.2 GF/2.8 GA in the heater, with Lindgren’s .915 SV% anchoring—road form solid (6-4-1, +1.2 diff.), ATS 7-3.
Kings (6-1-3 in last 10): LA grinded a 2-1 OT win over Vancouver on November 30 (Kopitar GWG), after a 4-3 L to Montreal (November 28) and 2-1 W vs. Ottawa (November 25). GF/GA at 2.6/1.9 lately, with Kuemper’s .910 SV% steady—home unbeaten in regulation over last five (3-0-2, +0.8 diff.), ATS 6-4.
Injury Report
LA enters healthy, but Washington’s blue line takes a hit without Carlson. Updates as of December 1, 2025 (NHL official report, 6:00 PM ET).
| Team | Player | Status | Injury Details | Impact |
| Capitals | John Carlson (D) | OUT | Upper-body (IR since Nov. 25; week-to-week). | Top-pair anchor (0.6 PTS/GP); D shuffles to Jensen/Fehervary, +10% xGA without. |
| Capitals | Pierre-Luc Dubois (C) | OUT | Lower-body (IR; return mid-Dec., traded from LA). | Second-line pivot (0.4 PTS/GP); depth thins faceoffs (-5%). |
| Kings | None listed | All available | Full rotation intact; Kopitar/Kempe line humming. | Boosts confidence—Kuemper eyes 20th start. |
Caps’ absences tilt transition to LA’s rush.
Series History
This East-West tilt dates to 1974, with LA holding a slight all-time edge in 122 regular-season meetings: 63-46-13 (.565 win%). No playoff clashes, but recent trends favor the Kings at home.
Last 10 Meetings: Kings 6-4, including a 3-1 LA W on March 21, 2025 (Kopitar two points). Caps’ last win: 2-1 on Nov. 17, 2025 (Ovechkin GWG).
At Crypto.com Arena: Kings 37-19-7 all-time vs. Caps; Washington’s last W there: Feb. 2024 (4-3 OT).
Trends: Unders in 6/10 (avg. 5.8 goals); LA 7-3 SU last 10 home vs. WSH. Caps 2-4 ATS as road dogs.
Kings’ home dominance (3-game streak) sets tone.
Key Player Matchups
Carlson’s absence spotlights forwards—these duels could spark goals.
Alexander Ovechkin (Caps LW) vs. Anze Kopitar (Kings C): Ovi’s milestone chase (908G, 8G last 10) tests Kopitar’s two-way (22P: 8G/14A); faceoff battle (Kopitar 54% vs. Ovi line) controls tempo—3+ combined points projected.
Tom Wilson (Caps RW) vs. Adrian Kempe (Kings RW): Wilson’s physicality (15G, 200+ HIT) clashes with Kempe’s speed (22P: 8G/14A); even-strength edges LA (+3 shots projected).
Jakob Chychrun (Caps D) vs. Quinton Byfield (Kings C): Chychrun’s shot (10G) contains Byfield’s breakout (18P: 4G/14A); PP duel favors Kings’ 30.2% unit.
Charlie Lindgren (Caps G) vs. Darcy Kuemper (Kings G): Lindgren’s form (.915 SV%) vs. Kuemper’s revenge (.910 SV%, ex-Caps); quality starts tip under.
Kings’ depth edges these.
Betting Trends
Moneyline: LA 9-11 as -125+ faves; WSH 2-4 as +105+ dogs.
Puck Line: LA covers 5-5 home; Caps 7-4 PL road dogs.
Total (O/U): Overs 15/26 Caps/12/25 Kings; H2H avg. 5.8 (6/10 over).
Trends: Caps 7-3 ATS last 10; Kings 6-4 home.
Game Odds
Washington Capitals 5.5
Los Angeles Kings – 116
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 1, 2025
