NHL Preview: Washington Capitals (12-6-2) at Vegas Golden Knights (15-5-4)

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Vegas Golden Knights logo

WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:

INJURIES/ILLNESSES

T.J. Oshie: 11/27-11/30 (3 games)

Nicklas Backstrom: 11/2-11/30 (12 games)

Max Pacioretty: 10/13-11/30 (20 games)

Martin Fehervary: 11/11-11/24 (5 games)

Evgeny Kuznetsov: 11/18-11/22 (2 games)

Anthony Mantha: 11/10-11/14 (3 games)

Darcy Kuemper: 11/10-11/11 (2 games)

Trevor van Riemsdyk: 11/8-11/14 (4 games)

Sonny Milano: 10/29 (1 game)

Nic Dowd: 10/18-11/8 (9 games)

Charlie Lindgren: 10/16-10/27 (6 games)

Joel Edmundson: 10/13-11/14 (14 games)

Man Games Lost: 81

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Capitals continue their five-game road trip on Saturday when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena for the second of two meetings between the teams this season. Charlie Lindgren stopped all 35 shots faced in the Capitals’ 3-0 win over Vegas on Nov. 14 at Capital One Arena, while Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Beck Malenstyn scored for Washington. The Capitals are 3- 6-2 all-time vs. Vegas in regular season play. The two teams met in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, with the Capitals defeating the Golden Knights in five games to capture the franchise’s first Stanley Cup

A November to Remember

– The Capitals posted a record of 8-3-1 (.708 point percentage) in the month of November. – It marked Washington’s highest point percentage in a month of November since 2019 (10-2-2, .786 P%). – Washington’s .708 point percentage during the month was the third-highest in the NHL (New York Rangers: .792; Los Angeles Kings: .773).

Collecting Points

– The Capitals are 11-3-1 in their last 15 games dating back to Oct. 25. – Washington’s .767 point percentage since Oct. 25 is the third-highest in the NHL (New York Rangers: .833; Los Angeles Kings: .786). – The Capitals sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 12-6-2 (26 pts., .650 P%), but own the second-highest point percentage among Metropolitan teams. – Washington (20 GP) has played the fewest games among Metropolitan Division teams. – Nearly a quarter into the season, the Capitals are on pace for 106 points, which would mark a 26-point improvement from last season (2022-23: 80 points).

Road Warriors

– Saturday’s game against Vegas is the fourth game of Washington’s five-game road trip. – The Capitals are 2-1-0 through the first three games of the road trip (Nov. 27 at SJS: 2-1 L; Nov. 29 at LAK: 2-1 W; Nov. 30 at ANA: 5- 4 W), with games at Vegas (Dec. 2) and at Arizona (Dec. 4) remaining. – The Capitals’ five game Western Conference road trip is tied for their longest stretch of games away from Capital One Arena this season (also March 11-18). – Washington has a 5-2-1 road record this season and have earned at least one point in six of their last seven road games (5-1-1). – The Capitals’ .688 road point percentage ranks fourth in the NHL. – Since the start of the 2020-21 season, the Capitals’ .610 road point percentage ranks eighth in the NHL.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES:

AGAINST THE CAPITALS

The Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals will meet for the second and final time this season tonight at T-Mobile Arena. The last time these teams met, Charlie Lindgren stopped all 32 shots for Washington to hand the Vegas offense its first shutout of the season. The Capitals saw goals from Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael and Beck Malenstyn to end the Golden Knights’ six-game win streak over Washington. Mark Stone led the Golden Knights with seven shots on net but was unable to solve Lindgren. While the Washington-Vegas series is best known for the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights own a 9-3-0 record against the Capitals and have won all five regular-season matchups at T-Mobile Arena.

THE BEST IN THE WEST

Vegas remains the number one team in the Western Conference with 34 points after defeating Vancouver on Thursday night. The Golden Knights are 12-3-3 against Western Conference opponents this season and five of their next six games will be Western matchups. Vegas’ 12 victories against the West are the most by a team against any conference this season.