Washington Capitals: Top 3 games you need to watch in November
November is in full swing and so is hockey season. The Washington Capitals have a challenging November slate with 15 games (one already that was played) and 10 of those coming on the road. They began the month with their first regulation defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
While November presents its challenges, the hope is the Caps can get healthy and continue to string together points as they await the returns of Nicklas Backstrom and Nic Dowd. I’d include T.J. Oshie in this but as of now the team said “week to week” which could mean anything. It could mean later this month or sometime next month.
We’re still a long ways for games to really mean much when it comes down to playoff positioning, however, these three games we will talk about are must watch games.
#3 Nov. 28 at Carolina Hurricanes
After a one season hiatus thanks to the divisional realignment from the COVID shortened season, Carolina Hurricanes fans are licking their chops at their first meeting against the Capitals since the 2019-20 season. For some reason they see the Capitals as their biggest rival.
Many thought the team would take a step back when they let Dougie Hamilton walk but so far the Canes have been off to a hot start this season. How hot? As of this writing, the Canes have won all eight of their games with a 8-0-0 record for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Andrei Svechnikov leads the team with seven goals and 11 points to go along with four assists. Sebastian Aho added 10 points with five goals and five assists. The team looks different in goal with Fredrik Anderson leading the charge with seven wins (.956 save percentage, 1.29 goals against average) and Antti Raanta winning, so far, his only start this season (.885 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average).
#2 Nov. 4 at Florida Panthers
This is a big test and it’s coming tomorrow. The Panthers were undefeated but they dropped their most recent game in overtime to the Boston Bruins. Like the Caps before Monday, the Panthers are undefeated in regulation.
That contest came in a shootout where all three of their skaters came up empty and Charlie Coyle provided the necessary goal to give Boston the win. Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team with 11 points and eight assists to go along with three goals. Alksander Barkov leads the team with five goals and added five assists for 10 points.
Former Capital Radko Gudas is among the defensemen. He’s got two assists thus far but don’t expect a revenge game from him because he is day to day and not expected to play.
Good news on the Caps side of things. They held a practice today at the Panthers practice facility and Nic Dowd was a full participant. He told the media that he expects to play. He was back in his familiar spot on the fourth line. Expect a roster move to come soon.
Having Dowd back will help the face offs and the penalty kill tremendously. We’ll see who gets sent down to Hershey. I’m mixed with Hendrix Lapierre but if he gets healthy ice time, I’d love to have him around if I were the team.
#1 Nov. 14 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
You really didn’t think I was going to leave this one out, were you? The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t off to the best start right now at 3-3-2 but with eight points they’re only three back of that top wild card spot. Why does this matter on November 3? Simple.
The Penguins are banged up and today their star Sidney Crosby as well as Brian Dumoulin tested positive for COVID-19. This pandemic is a serious matter and even though they are rivals we wish them a speedy recovery. It would stink if Crosby couldn’t go face to face with Alex Ovechkin on a Sunday night to renew the rivalry.
Crosby started the season injured and appeared in just one game so far this season. But it gets worse. Evgeni Malkin is still sidelined with a knee injury and their general manager Ron Hextall said weeks before the season started that he would miss “at least the first two months.”
Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel are both in COVID protocols as well. Bryan Rust also has a lower body injury. To be this banged up and still at .500 and just three points back of that top wild card spot is another reason why you can’t sleep on them. However, they are on a three game losing streak.
light. Hot. Washington Capitals drop first regulation game to Lightning
Those are the three games I’m looking forward to this November. Which 3 are you looking forward to?