Top 3 key Capitals to watch against Penguins
Tonight the Washington Capitals take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in an important game for the standings and playoff positioning. For more on how to watch and bet on the game, click here.
Read on to learn who could be a key player on the Caps tonight.
The Caps held a morning skate. Nicklas Backstrom was on the ice after he was ruled out last game due to a non COVID illness. T.J. Oshie was also on the ice after missing the last game due to the birth of his fourth child. Tom Wilson, who left that game against the Colorado Avalanche was not on the ice, he’ll be a game time decision tonight.
#3 Anthony Mantha
Anthony Mantha is expected to play in his 400th career game tonight. He has played in 97 of his 399 career games with Washington while playing 302 with the Detroit Red Wings. Mantha has recorded 24 points in 46 games this season with nine goals and 15 assists. That ranks tied for sixth on the Capitals.
19 of Mantha’s 24 points have come at five on five with eight goals and 11 assists. Mantha ranks tied for third on the Capitals in goals at five on five and tied for fourth in points at five on five.
#2 Conor Sheary
Conor Sheary is expected to play his 500th career game tonight against his former team in which he won back to back Stanley Cups with back in 2016 and 2017. Sheary has played in 174 of his 499 games with Washington while playing in 192 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and 133 games with the Buffalo Sabres.
Sheary has recorded 29 points in 50 games this season with 12 goals and 17 assists, which ranks fourth on the Capitals. He ranks tied for second on Washington in goals, trailing only Alex Ovechkin.
Since joining the Capitals ahead of the 2021 season, Sheary ranks second on the Capitals in goals with 45 and goals at five on five with 34. He is one of five Capitals skaters to appear in all 50 of their games this year.
Among active forwards that went undrafted, Sheary ranks seventh in games played, fifth in goals with 117, and sixth in assists with 127 and points with 244, per QuantHockey.
Sheary has been a steal by the Capitals and the Penguins nor Sabres shouldn’t have let him go. He is a quick player who can get to the puck and can create special plays.
Sheary was annoying when he was on the Penguins but we love him now that he’s here with the Caps.
#1 Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin will be the number one player to watch in tonight’s big rivalry matchup with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche, he scored his 31st goal of the season.
Ovechkin ranks tied for sixth in the NHL in goals with 31. He has scored 14 of his 31 goals in the third period, which leads the Capitals. He has reached the 30 goal mark for the 17th ice in his 18 year career, which tied former Capital Mike Gartner (17 seasons) for the most 30 goal seasons in NHL history.
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 season, taking him 54 games.
Ovechkin is the 11th different player aged 37 or older to score 30 goals in a season. The only season he did not score 30 was in the COVID shortened 2021 season where he scored 24 goals in 45 games.
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He also has 69 career points in 70 career games against the Penguins. A very nice number.