Top 3 key Capitals to watch against Golden Knights
The Washington Capitals take on the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at 10 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington. Here’s how to watch and bet on the game. Read on to learn the top 3 Caps players of tonight’s matchup.
Tonight won’t be an easy matchup. The Golden Knights are hungry for a win after dropping three in a row. They are good. They are at the top of the Pacific Division standings. Meanwhile, the Caps have heated up.
They got a 4-0 win the other night over the Arizona Coyotes to start their three game west coast road trip.
#3 Nicklas Backstrom
Nicklas Backstrom recorded his 750th career assist on Thursday night against the Arizona Coyotes, resulting in a 4-0 Caps road win. Backstrom is one assist shy of passing Larry Robinson for the 45th most assists in franchise history.
He has recorded three assists in six games this season, all of which have come at even strength after missing the first 42 games of the season undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in the summer.
Backstrom, the Caps all time assist leader, has recorded 1,014 points with 264 goals and 750 assists in 1,064 career games with the Caps. Since making his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2007, Backstrom ranks third in the NHL in assists behind only Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane.
#2 Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson scored his second goal of the season on Thursday night at Arizona. In six games this season, Wilson has recorded three points with two goals and one assist.
Since making his debut on Jan. 8 vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets, Wilson leads the Capitals in hits with 27. He ranks sixth in the NHL in hits with 1,969 since the 2013-14 season, his first NHL season. He missed the Caps first 42 games of the season after undergoing ACL surgery. He hurt himself in Game 1 of the playoffs last season against the Florida Panthers.
Last season, Wilson set career highs in goals with 24, 28 assists, 52 points and 10 power play points and ranked tied for second on the Capitals in goals and fourth in assists and points.
Wilson has become the most reliable player since being back into the lineup. And the slow start to the regular season meant his presence was missed. Now that he’s back he’s wrecking things.
Someday Wilson will be an important part of the future. I could see the captaincy going to him on that dreadful day Alex Ovechkin decides to hang it up. He will be an important leader for those upcoming prospects and youth.
#1 Darcy Kuemper
Darcy Kuemper recorded his league leading fifth shutout of the season on Thursday against the Coyotes. He recorded that fifth shutout in his 30th start of the season which marks the fewest shutouts required to record five shutouts in a single season in franchise history. It took Braden Holtby 31 games in 2016-17.
His five shutouts this season match his career high that he set in the 2018-19 season with the Coyotes and 2021-22 with the Colorado Avalanche.
Kuemper has posted a record of 9-2-3 with four shutouts, a 2.10 goals against average, and a .931 save percentage in his last 15 starts dating back to Nov. 23.
Kuemper has earned at least one point in 10 straight decisions from Nov. 23 to Jan. 8. That’s the second time in his career he has recorded at least one point in 10 or more consecutive decisions.
In 30 gams played this season, Kuemper has a record fo 14-11-4 with a 2.46 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. Among goaltenders with at least 30 starts, Kuemper ranks fourth in the NHL in save percentage and fifth in goals against average.
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In 15 career games against Vegas, Kuemper has posted a record of 6-5-3 with a 2.08 goals against average, a .937 save percentage and one shutout. It’s the fourth lowest goals against average and save percentage he has recorded against a single franchise.