In his first game back following a five-week stint on injured reserve, Ovechkin notched an empty-net goal to seal the deal against the Maple Leafs. The goal was assisted by Aliaksei Protas and ...

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres play the Washington Capitals as losers of three straight games. Buffalo has a 14-21-5 record overall and a 7-10-3 record on its home ice. The Sabres are 3-5-4 in one-goal games. Washington has gone 13-6-0 in road games and 26-10-3 overall. The Capitals are 11-4-1 when scoring a power-play goal.

NHL slate features the Washington Capitals (30-10-5) hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins (19-20-8) at Capital One Arena, starting at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+. The Capitals are first and the Penguins 13th in the Eastern Conference.

The Ottawa Senators return home with a tall order as they take on the best team in the East and League — the Washington Capitals. Washington leads the league with a 0.716 save percentage at 63 points in 44 games.

Luc Dubois and the Anaheim Ducks’ Frank Vatrano will be two of the most exciting players to watch when these teams play on Tuesday at 7:00 PM ET, at Capital One Arena. Buy tickets for this game at StubHub!

The 2024-25 NHL season hit its midway point on Thursday. It's a perfect time to take a quick tour of the league. Here's one thought on all 32 teams.(Stats via NHL.com, Evolving-Hockey, and Sportlogiq.

Montreal Canadiens @ Washington Capitals. Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Capitals region: Monumental S

Alex Ovechkin is closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record. Ovechkin has scored 872 goals in 1,451 games. He is just 23 goals away from breaking Gretzky's tally of 894 goals in 1,487 games.

What a year it has been for Connor McMichael. The 2019 first round pick is up to 17 goals in 40 games and is three points away from setting a new career high. With the way McMichael has been playing this season, the Canucks will need to keep an extra eye on him throughout the game.

The Washington Capitals host the Vancouver Canucks after Tom Wilson's two-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres in the Capitals' 4-3 shootout loss.

The fact Ovechkin is accelerating through the finish line is making this chase of Gretzky even more compelling. And consider the broader implications beyond just the all-time goal scoring record: the Capitals are currently leading the Metropolitan Division and appear primed for a deep playoff push.

THROUGH GAMES OF MONDAY, JAN. 6, 2025