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Capitals: Top 3 key players to watch against Golden Knights

By Michael Marzzacco |
LAS VEGAS, VA - JUNE 7:Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the Stanley Cup after winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, June 7, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, VA - JUNE 7:Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the Stanley Cup after winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, June 7, 2018. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: (L-R) Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates on the bench Tom Wilson #43, Andre Burakovsky #65, Jay Beagle #83 and Devante Smith-Pelly #25 after Ovechkin scored a second-period, power-play goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 07: (L-R) Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates with teammates on the bench Tom Wilson #43, Andre Burakovsky #65, Jay Beagle #83 and Devante Smith-Pelly #25 after Ovechkin scored a second-period, power-play goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

The Washington Capitals conclude their three-game west coast road trip in Las Vegas, the place they lifted the Stanley Cup.

Washington Capitals fans will always look at T-Mobile Arena with a smile thinking back to June 7, 2018. They come back to that same place looking to end their road trip on a high note Monday night with a chance to make some more history.

By now you already know. Alex Ovechkin is two goals away from the big 700 and he’s hungry for a goal as his drought has stretched to four games without lighting the lamp. He has a chance to do it at the place he lifted the Stanley Cup and boy wouldn’t that be sweet to do it in Sin City. What happens there stays there they say.

The Capitals are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes and have dropped three of their last five games. Their two wins came against the Los Angles Kings, who aren’t that good and a Colorado Avalanche team that had an early 2-0 lead on them.

The Capitals won the earlier meeting with Vegas but have yet to win a regular season game inside T-Mobile Arena. It’s okay though, they can win there when it matters most.

OTTAWA, ON – JANUARY 31: Carl Hagelin #62 of the Washington Capitals looks on in a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on January 31, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – JANUARY 31: Carl Hagelin #62 of the Washington Capitals looks on in a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on January 31, 2020 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

Carl Hagelin

Carl Hagelin scored the lone goal in Saturday night’s Capitals loss to the Arizona Coyotes which marked his fifth goal of the season. Hagelin crashed the net and finished up a play created by Richard Panik.

Hagelin has recorded nine points in Washington’s last 11 games with four goals and five assists while Richard Panik has begun to heat up with six points including two goals and four assists. Honestly the third line will be a key tonight no matter who is centering it. Look for Washington to likely go with their same lineup tonight with Evgeny Kuznetsov still out due to injury.

Per the game notes, Hagelin and Panik have played 319:16 this season at five-on-five outscoring opponents 19-10. The pair has a 56.75 on-ice shot attempt percentage despite taking 70.7 percent of their shift beginning face-offs outside of the Caps offensive zone.

Look for Hagelin to continue to lead on the penalty kill tonight. He leads Caps forwards with 2:51 PK minutes per game which ranks him fourth among forwards in the NHL. Hagelin has a 3.58 goals against per 60 minutes which ranks second among forwards with at least 100 minutes on the PK this season.

Hagelin is beginning to heat up and his momentum will help the Caps as they try to get out of their funk.

LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 30: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals makes a diving stick save on a shot by Alex Tuch #89 of the Vegas Golden Knights as John Carlson #74 of the Capitals defends in the third period of Game Two of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on May 30, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 3-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 30: Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals makes a diving stick save on a shot by Alex Tuch #89 of the Vegas Golden Knights as John Carlson #74 of the Capitals defends in the third period of Game Two of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on May 30, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 3-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Braden Holtby

The Washington Capitals don’t have too much to feel good about other than the recent play of the Holtbeast which has kept them in games. Braden Holtby was no different on Saturday, the offense just came up empty except on Hagelin’s end.

Holtby has gone 1-1 and a no decision in his last three games but stopped 71 of the 75 shots he faced for a 1.67 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. Holtby came in on relief of the New York Islanders game where he stopped all 12 shots he faced.

He followed that up with 32 saves on 34 shots against the Colorado Avalanche for a .441 save percentage for the win. The other night against the Arizona Coyotes saw Holtby stop 27 of 29 shots for a .931 save percentage.

His advanced stats have also been tremendous. He stopped 17 of 18 high danger shots for a .944 save percentage. It’s time for the team in front of him to step up their game, protect the net, and give Holtby another well deserved win. If Ovechkin doesn’t get his 700th at least get a win for the Holtbeast.

“He’s really put his foot down,” said Capitals head coach Todd Reirden per Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic.

Of course, this post rounds out with the obvious player to watch on the big stage.

Alex Ovechkin

Sitting just two goals away from 700, Alex Ovechkin would like nothing more than to end this once and for all in the Desert where he lifted the Stanley Cup. Will this be the night?

Ovechkin enters tonight’s game with his longest drought of the season without a goal, four games. Ovechkin had two shots on goal in a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He followed that up with six against the New York Islanders and maybe a goal that deflected off of him but we’ll never know because John Carlson was credited with the goal.

In the Capitals win against the Colorado Avalanche, Ovechkin had seven shots on goal and eight in Saturday’s loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

“I would be pissed if I didn’t have any chances. It’s okay, it’s going to come,” Ovechkin told the media per El-Bashir of The Athletic.

Now Ovechkin returns to the place where the best nostalgic memory you can have in hockey was ever made. He told Mike Vogel of WashingtonCaps.com:

“Yeah, it’s great memories obviously. We won the Cup there; it’s always going to be great memories for us, and I think for you guys [in the media] as well, because you’ve been with us all those times. It’s a great city and good memories.”

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Puck drop is at 6 p.m. eastern tonight and you can catch the game on NBC Sports Washington as well as nationally on the NBC Sports network.

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