Breaking down the Capitals 50th season schedule

The Washington Capitals schedule has been released. We all know they open their 50th season against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 12 but what about the rest of the dates. Below is the complete schedule and you can use this link to print or download.

Important home dates

Here are the home dates to remember besides the season opener.

Oct. 15: Caps host Vegas Golden Knights

Oct. 29: New York Rangers make their first of two visits to Capital One Arena

Nov. 8: Caps face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins

Nov. 21: Caps will host Nathan MacKinnon who's the reigning Hart Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche

Dec. 20: Caps vs. Carolina Hurricanes, take that for what you will

Dec. 31: Boston Bruins make their lone visit to DC for a matinee on New Years Eve

Jan. 4: Caps host the Rangers for a Saturday matinee

Jan. 18: Penguins are back for their second of two visits

Feb. 4: Caps host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers

Feb. 9: We see the brand new Utah Hockey Club for the first time oh and it's also Super Bowl Sunday

Feb. 23: Connor McDavid and the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers come to town

March 22: Caps and Panthers meet again to conclude their season series

April 4: Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks are here for their lone visit

April 13: Home finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets

Per the release from the Caps the team will have five homestands of at least three games including one to begin the season. The longest stretch of home games is five from Feb. 23 to March 3. The Caps will additionally have five stretches of at least three consecutive road games which includes a season long five game road trip from Jan. 21 through the 30th.

The Caps will also have 13 sets of back to back games. 21 of the Caps 41 home games at Capital One Arena will fall on the weekends which inlcude six games on Friday and Sunday and nine on Saturday. In addition to home games on New Years Eve and Super Bowl Sunday there's also a match on Halloween Oct. 31 against the Montreal Canadiens.

There will be a break in the schedule for the four nations faceoff from Feb. 10 through the 21st that will take place at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston.