Capitals keep winning despite injuries, take stars

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The Washington Capitals are trying to win five in a row for the first time this season when they host the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

The Capitals will also bring an eight-game point streak and a game for the first time this season (7-0-1).

Cutting out, however, becomes a concern.

Two more players for the capitals, Nic Dowd and Trevor van Riemsdyk, left with injuries late in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, and neither came back.

The Capitals were already thin on their striker lines with TJ Oshie and Lars Eller on the sidelines.

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Oshie suffered a low back injury and a 7-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday and remains day to day. Eller entered the COVID-19 protocol on Monday and will remain out indefinitely.

“We work through a few things,” said Washington coach Peter Laviolette. “Everyone has to deal with injuries. Some guys are already out of the lineup, and then you lose some guys during the game.

Washington did not practice on Saturday, so there has been no update on the availability of players against Dallas.

The Stars play their second game in two days after losing 4-2 to the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Dallas has lost four of its last five games and remains just outside the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

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“You don’t get points for being the better team,” Dallas forward Michael Raffl said. “The results are all that matters, and we are aware of the position we are in the standings, and we know we have to find a way to win games.”

The capitals have recently found ways to win games.

Three of their last four wins have come after regulation, including their last win against the Hurricanes. Alex Ovechkin equalized late in the third period and shot the match-winner to keep the shot.

Ovechkin shot in three consecutive games to pass Jaromir Jagr for third place and goals in NHL history (769).

“He wants it on his piece,” said Laviolette of Ovechkin. “His release is something. He’s a great player.

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The Capitals almost didn’t play so well to play their first game with the Stars in Dallas on January 28th. Washington won 5-0, its only victory in regulation during a 10-game stretch.

Dallas goalkeeper Braden Holtby started the game against his former team and allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Holtby has been sidelined with a lower back injury since early March and is unlikely to make his first appearance since Washington, DC after playing there from 2010-20.

Instead, Jake Oettinger will likely start on consecutive days after making 21 saves against the Isles on Saturday.

Oettinger played well for Dallas. He came in on Saturday with a 20-9-1 record, a 2.47 goal-versus-average, and .917 save percentage in 32 appearances this season.

Another bright side on Saturday was the game between Jacob Peterson and Denis Gurianov, who all scored their 10th goals of the season for Dallas.

Washington striker Mike Vecchione came on Friday in the lineup in place of Oshie and recorded three shots on goal in 5:06 in his Washington debut.

Vecchione has not played in the NHL since appearing in two games with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2016-17 season, but he could see more action if the capitals continue to be short-lived.

– Field Level Media

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