Top 3 key Capitals to watch against Coyotes
Tonight the Washington Capitals take on the Arizona Coyotes in the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. It’ll be the Caps first time at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State which is the rink the Coyotes currently call home.
Here were the lines at morning skate via Samantha Pell of The Washington Post:
Ovechkin-Strome-NAK
Milano-Backstrom-Wilson
Sheary-Eller-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Hathaway
Gustafsson-TvR
Orlov-Jensen
Alexeyev-Fehervary
Extras: Mantha, Protas, Irwin
Out: Dowd (lower body injury)
Here are the top 3 players to watch tonight:
#3 Marcus Johansson
On Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, Marcus Johansson played in his 800th career NHL game. He has played in 566 of his 800 career games with Washington. The Capitals first round choice at 24th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft became the 11th player from his draft class to reach the 800 game mark.
Ryan O’Reilly and Craig Smith are the only players drafted after Johansson to have played in more career games. Among the 2009 draft class, Johansson ranks 15th in goals with 155, 10th in assists with 274, and 14th in points with 429.
"It means a lot to me. Like I said, this place has always felt like home to me ... something I take pride in."
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 19, 2023
Marcus Johansson reflects on reaching 800 career games earlier this week as a Cap and more with @VogsCaps on the latest Rinkside Update. #CapsYotes | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/8ndvZplzgg
Johansson’s 566 gams played with Washington are the 27th most in franchise history and the 19th most among players drafted by the Capitals. Congrats to MoJo and may he play in 800 more!
#2 Darcy Kuemper
Darcy Kuemper has a record of 5-1-3 with a 1.32 goals against average, a .947 save percentage, and three shutouts in nine career games against Arizona. He appeared in 121 games with the Coyotes from 2017-18 to 2020-21.
Kuemper stopped 27 of 30 shots faced on Monday at the New York Islanders including all 13 shots faced in the third period and overtime.
Kuemper has posted a record of 8-2-3 with three shutouts, a 2.26 goals against average, and a .927 save percentage in his last 14 starts dating back to Nov. 23. He leads the NHL in shutouts with four this season.
Kuemper earned at least one point in 10 straight decisions, posting a 7-0-3 record from Nov. 23 to Jan. 8, the second time in his career he has recorded at least one point in 10 or more consecutive decisions.
In 29 games played this season, Kuemper has a record of 13-11-4 with a 2.55 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. Among goaltenders with at least 25 starts, Kuemper ranks ninth in the NHL in save percentage and eighth in goals against average.
Since 2017-18, Kuemper ranks first in the NHL in save percentage with .921 and second in goals against average with 2.45.
Kuemper is the expected starter tonight as he takes on his former team. But it’ll be his first time in their new arena.
#1 Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin wasn’t complaining despite the Caps playing in a tiny arena tonight:
“I think it’s going to be weird obviously, but ice was good. I hope it’s going to be sold out and we’re going to have some fun.”
Mullett Arena seats 5,000 fans. Arizona State hockey also plays there so you can see the logo of both the school and the Coyotes at center ice.
Ovechkin made a college hockey player’s day.
Thanks for the welcoming gift, @SunDevilHockey, and good looks 🤩#ALLCAPS x #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/YN3QQNpvEs
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 19, 2023
Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season on Saturday. He reached the 30 goal mark for the 17th time in his 18 year career. tying former Capital Mike Gartner.
The 37 year old scored his 30th goal in his 45th game of the season, tied for the sixth fewest games required to reach the 30 goal mark in his career.
Among players to begin a season at age 37 or older, Ovechkin required the fewest games in NHL history to reach 30 goals in a single campaign. Jean Beliveau required the second fewest games to reach 30 goals in a single season at 54 games in 1968-69.
light. Hot. Erik Gustafsson is a good fantasy start vs Coyotes
Ovechkin is the 11th different player aged 37 or older to score 30 goals in a season. The only season in which he did not score 30 goals was in the 2021 COVID shortened season.