With a view to end a two-game losing skid, the Ottawa Senators (8th in Atlantic Division) are set to host the Washington Capitals (6th in Metropolitan), who have triumphed in seven of their past eight contests.
The Washington Capitals (17-13-4) posted their second straight victory and their seventh win in the past eight matchups (7-1-0) after ending their latest three-game homestand with a 2-1-0 record following a 4-3 overtime triumph against the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena on Monday. Dmitry Orlov (2 goals, 9 points this year) buried the winner with 22 seconds remaining in the bonus session after the Caps erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits in regulation, with Nic Dowd (7 goals, 13 points) netting twice in a span of 11 seconds in the middle frame. Erik Gustafsson (4 goals, 15 points) tallied the 3-3 equalizer.
Goalie Charlie Lindgren stopped 16 shots on Monday and has now gone 9-4-2 for the ongoing campaign with a 2.71 GAA and a .910 save percentage. He has never faced Ottawa before, while Darcy Kuemper (8-9-2 on the season with a 2.56 GAA and a .916 save percentage) has registered a 5-2-0 past tally against the Senators with a 2.68 GAA and a .916 save percentage. The Capitals, meanwhile, are sitting tied-13th with the Sens in least goals scored per game this year (3.06), while conceding the 13th lowest amount defensively (2.85). They are 20th in power play (21.2%) and 11th in penalty kill (80.2%).