ST. LOUIS BLUES NOTES:
CURRENT INJURIES
Jake Neighbours – Upper-Body (Will be re-evaluated in 5 weeks; announced on Feb. 20)
2022-23 Total Man Games Lost: 248
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
March
16 – Recalled goaltender Joel Hofer from the Springfield Thunderbirds under emergency conditions
6 – Signed college free agent defenseman Anton Malmstrom to a two-year, entry-level contract
3 – Acquired forward Jakub Vrana from Detroit in exchange for Dylan McLaughlin and a 2025 7th-round draft pick
BLUES vs. CAPITALS
- The Blues and Capitals will meet for the 2nd and final matchup of the season
- The Blues beat the Capitals, 5-4 in a shootout, in their 1st meeting of the season back on Nov. 17 in St. Louis
- The Blues went 2-0-0 against Washington last season, outscoring the Capitals 10-3 in those 2 games
- The Blues have won 3 straight games against the Capitals and have earned points in 6 straight games against Washington (5-0-1)
- The Blues have won back-to-back games in Washington, outscoring the Capitals 9-3 in those 2 games
- The Blues have also earned points in 3 straight games in Washington (2-0-1) and are 4-1-1 in their last 6 trips to Washington
- The Blues have scored at least 4 goals in 5 of their last 6 games against Washington, outscoring the Capitals 25-13 in those 6 games
- The Blues have also scored a power play goal in 5 of their last 6 games against Washington, going 5 for 18 (27.8%) on the power play over those 6 games
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
3/19 – vs. Winnipeg
3/21 – vs. Detroit
3/23 – at Detroit
3/25 – at Anaheim
3/26 – at Los Angeles
A LOOK AHEAD
- After tonight in Washington, the Blues will play their next 2 games at Enterprise Center (Sunday vs. Winnipeg / Tuesday vs. Detroit)
- The Blues will play 8 more games in March (5 away; 3 home)
- 5 of the Blues’ remining 8 games in March will come against Western Conference opponents (2 against the Central)
EXTRA NUGGETS
- The Blues are 23-10-2 this season when scoring first
- The Blues are 1 of 7 teams to record 3 multi-goal third period comeback wins this season (1. Kings/Islanders, 4 / 2. Ducks/Canucks/Blackhawks/Capitals, 3)
- Since Dec. 11, 40 games, the Blues are 91 for 110 on the penalty kill (82.7%), which ranks 8th in the NHL over that span (1. Carolina, 105 for 120, 87.5%)
- The Blues have scored 7 shorthanded goals this season, which shares 13th in the NHL (1. Edmonton, 13)
WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:
LAST GAME
Washington 5, Buffalo Sabres 4 (SO)
March 15, 2023 * Capital One Arena * Washington, DC
Shots: WSH: 39; BUF: 27
Power Plays: WSH: 2/3; BUF: 0/2
Three Stars: 1. Ovechkin (WSH), 2. Oshie (WSH), 3. Krebs (BUF)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Loaned forward Joe Snively to AHL Hershey, 3/16
Recalled forward Joe Snively from AHL Hershey, 3/14
Re-signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract extension, 3/11
Loaned defenseman Vincent Iorio to AHL Hershey, 3/10
INJURIES/ILLNESSES
Carl Hagelin: 10/12/22-3/15/23 (69 games)
Connor Brown: 10/20/22-3/15/23 (65 games)
John Carlson: 10/31/22-11/9/22, 12/27/22-3/15/23 (39 games)
Sonny Milano: 12/15/22, 3/14/23-3/15/23 (3 games)
Marcus Johansson: 2/25/23-2/26/23 (2 games)
Tom Wilson: 10/12/22-1/6/23, 1/26/23-2/16/23 (49 games)
Nicklas Backstrom: 10/12/22-1/6/23, 1/24/22 (43 games)
Dmitry Orlov: 11/7/22-12/9/22 (16 games)
Erik Gustafsson: 12/11/22 (1 game)
Lars Eller: 12/13/22 (1 game)
Darcy Kuemper: 12/5/22-12/17/22 (7 games)
Washington Capitals: Media Notes
Hunter Shepard: 12/17/22 (1 game)
Alex Alexeyev: 12/11/22-12/19/22 (5 games)
Beck Malenstyn: 11/3/22-12/27/22 (26 games)
T.J. Oshie: 10/31/22-11/19/22, 12/19/22-12/31/22 (17 games)
Nic Dowd: 12/17/22, 1/17/23-2/18/23 (13 games)
Anthony Mantha: 2/12/23, 2/23/23-2/26/23 (4 games)
Martin Fehervary: 12/5/22-12/29/22, 3/4/23-3/9/23 (15 games)
Nick Jensen: 3/4/23-3/9/23 (3 games)
Alex Ovechkin: 1/21/23, 3/14/23 (2 games)
Man Games Lost: 381
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
March 19, 2 p.m. ET at Minnesota (NBCSW, NHLN, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
March 21, 7 p.m. ET vs. Columbus (NBCSW+, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
March 23, 7 p.m. ET vs. Chicago (NBCSW, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
March 25, 8 p.m. ET at Pittsburgh (ABC, ESPN+, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
March 29, 7:30 p.m. ET vs. New York Islanders (TNT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
TONIGHT’S GAME
The Capitals host the St. Louis Blues on Friday at Capital One Arena for the second and final meeting between the teams this season. In their first meeting on Nov. 17 at Enterprise Center, the Capitals overcame deficits of 3-0 and 4-2 before falling to the Blues 5-4 in the shootout, despite recording a season-high 51 shots on goal. Washington is 45-44-12-2 all-time versus St. Louis. The Capitals have an all-time record of 11-4-1-0 on Saint Patrick’s Day, including a 6-4-1-0 record at home.
HOME vs. ST. LOUIS BLUES
Record Goals For Goals Against Streak
26-20-4-0 166 151 2 STL wins (1/14/19-3/22/22)
CAPITALS vs. BLUES ALL-TIME (Career Totals)
Games Goals Assists Points
Smith (44) Ovechkin (19) Backstrom (16) Ovechkin (34)
Ovechkin (23) Backstrom (8) Ovechkin (15) Backstrom (24)
Backstrom (20) Carlson/Smith (4) Smith (13) Smith (17)
POINT STREAKS
Dylan Strome – 6 game point streak (3g, 7a), 3 game assist streak (4a) Trevor van Riemsdyk – 4 game point streak (1g, 4a), 3 game assist streak (4a)*
T.J. Oshie – 4 game point streak (2g, 3a), 2 game assist streak (2a)
Alex Ovechkin – 2 game point streak (1g, 2a), 2 game assist streak (2a)
*Career long
TOP CAPS FACTS
Comeback Caps
- The Capitals overcame deficits of 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 in the shootout on Wednesday at Capital One Arena. It marked Washington’s sixth multi-goal comeback of the season and their third multi-goal, third-period comeback.
- The Capitals’ six multi-goal comebacks rank tied for fourth in the NHL (Chicago: 8; Vancouver: 7; New Jersey: 7; Anaheim: 6), while their three multi-goal, third-period comebacks are tied for the third most in the League.
Torching the Blues
- Alex Ovechkin has recorded 34 points (19g, 15a) in 23 career games against St. Louis (1.48 P/GP).
- Ovechkin’s 0.83 goals per game and 1.48 points per game versus the Blues are the second-highest rates he has recorded against a single franchise (0.85 G/GP, 1.65 P/GP vs. Minnesota).
- Ovechkin has scored seven goals in 12 career games against goaltender Thomas Greiss and has never scored on Joel Hofer. Joel Hofer is the older brother of Capitals prosect Ryan Hofer.
Team Discipline
- On average, the Capitals are shorthanded 2.77 times per game, which is the third-lowest rate in the League.
- Washington’s +30 net penalty differential ranks first in the NHL, through games played March 15.
Did You Know?
- Martin Fehervary skated a career-high 25:22 vs. Buffalo on Wednesday and registered five hits, which tied Tom Wilson for the team lead. Fehervary’s 175 hits this season rank first among active Capitals.
- The Capitals won 40 of 65 faceoffs (61.5%) vs. the Sabres, which tied for their third-highest single-game total this season.
- Washington has scored 84 goals in the second period this season, tied for the seventh-highest total in the NHL, through games played March 15.
- The Capitals have scored 37 goals in their last nine games (4.11 GF/GP) dating back to Feb. 25, the third-highest goals-per-game rate in the NHL in that span.
- The Capitals are currently riding a three-game point streak at home (2-0-1).
