There is one more Washington Capitals game before Christmas which is tonight before the NHL goes on a temporary pause to combat the latest COVID-19 variant. Their game on Thursday at the New York Islanders has been postponed. It is also unlikely there will be Olympic participation but that’s a topic for another day.
The Caps are looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday night. But the Caps still hold an 18-6-7 record thanks to their fast start and consistent play from the veterans who are healthy and the rookies who stepped in. It starts at the top too with Coach Peter Laviolette and he’s just one win away from passing Dick Irvin (691) for the 10th most wins in NHL history.
The Caps lost the previous matchup with the Flyers 2-1 t Capital One Arena on Nov. 6. The Caps won all four games in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center last season. Should the team win tonight, it’ll mark the longest win streak on the road against the Flyers in franchise history. Alex Ovechkin has recorded a point in six of his last seven games against the Flyers with eight goals and four assists.
Ovechkin is second in the NHL in goals with 22, just one behind Leon Draisaitl. His 47 points are third in the NHL while his 25 assists rank fifth. John Carlson‘s 26 points are tied for fourth among defensemen and his 20 assists are tied for fifth among defensemen.
Ovi and Carly aren’t the only two Caps who have heated up lately. Conor Sheary is on a career high five game point streak with two goals and four assists. Justin Schultz is on a two game point streak with a goal and an assist. Ovechkin has points in seven of his last eight games with three goals and seven assists.
Let’s talk rookies. Joe Snively was the latest to get his NHL debut under his belt and he had the assist on Connor McMichael‘s goal the other night. The Herndon, VA native became the ninth Capitals rookie to record a point this season. The Caps joined the San Jose Sharks as the only two teams in the NHL to have nine rookies with a point this season.
Additionally, that’s tied for the fourth most in franchise history and the first time the Capitals have had this many rookies with a point since the 1989-90 season. In total, Caps rookies have accounted for 32 points this season with 15 goals and 17 assists which is the fifth most in the NHL.
Mikey lights the lamp! pic.twitter.com/thDnjEEAAE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 20, 2021
Today is Beat Philly day as the Caps not only play the Flyers but the Washington Football Team takes on the Eagles across the street.
Date: Tuesday Dec. 21, 2021
Time: 7 p.m.
Where: Wells Fargo Center
What Channel Is The Capitals Game On: Hulu and ESPN+
Radio: Caps Radio 24/7 and 106.7 The Fan
Betting Odds: The betting odds on WynnBET have the Capitals as -1.5 favorites on the road in Philly. The moneyline has the Capitals at -132 and the Flyers at +117. The over/under for tonight’s game is 6.0.
Live Streaming: fuboTV has live NHL games on ESPN in which you can stream from your phone, television, and all your favorite devices. This is a service that broadcasts live TV over the internet, no cable required. Watch your favorite teams, network shows, news, and movies on 100+ channels. Plus on-demand entertainment including full TV series. fuboTV is currently available in the United States, Canada, and Spain.
Reddit: Reddit can sometimes have streams of live NHL games but make sure they are legal. The official NHL Subreddit is located at https://www.reddit.com/r/nhl/.