The LA Kings wrap up a mini three-game homestand tonight against the visiting Washington Capitals and their captain Alex Ovechkin, who is still chasing Wayne Gretzky’s 894-goal record. After defeating the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues in the last four days, the black and silver take to the ice tonight to avenge a 4-3 loss to the Capitals on Oct. 22, 2022.
Tonight’s LA Kings Game Notes
Interestingly, tonight will mark the first time in a long time that Ovechkin and the Capitals will not be facing Jonathan Quick in a game, as he was the netminder on record for eight of the last ten meetings. Instead, they will most likely face former teammate Pheonix Copley, who once beat the Kings as a member of the Capitals in February 2019.
Over the last decade, when these two teams met in the regular season, there was a sense of urgency that each team was competing for a top spot in the playoff seedings, with a chance these two clubs could meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
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However, times have changed; the Capitals are a bubble playoff team, and Ovechkin will be hard-pressed to reach 50 goals this season, to get him closer to The Great One’s record. Even though every point counts for Washington since they remain three points out of the last wild card spot, the Western Conference remains wide open, and the Kings need to keep it going when facing lesser opponents.
Since being shutout against the Dallas Stars on Jan. 19, the Kings have scored at least three goals in 13 of the last 17 contests, including a stretch of five or more in four straight games at the beginning of February. As the eighth-highest-scoring team in the league, tonight, the Kings have a chance to extend this impressive streak since the Capitals surrender an average of 2.97 goals per game.
In the previous ten contests between the two clubs dating back to 2016-17, the Kings have had a tough time against their east rivals, with just four wins during this span. Currently, the Capitals are on a two-game win streak against LA and have dominated in the last seven games with a 6-1 record. During their last meeting on Oct. 22, 2022, the Kings lost 4-3 and got goals from Sean Durzi, Phillip Danault, and Viktor Arvidsson, while Quick took the loss.
Moreover, the Kings remain the league’s 10th-best home team, 19-9-2, while the Capitals are the 12th-best road team with a 16-14-3 record. Both teams last played on Saturday, with the Kings beating St. Louis (4-2) and the Capitals destroying the San Jose Sharks (8-3). Additionally, the Kings are 7-2-1 in their last ten, and the Capitals are just 3-7-0.
LA Kings & Capitals Players to Watch
As Ovechkin continues pursuing one of the game’s most cherished records, he usually becomes the player to watch in any game. Whether setting up teammates, laying a massive check on an unsuspecting player, or just setting up in his office for a one-timer, Ovechkin has been providing highlights for 18 years.
Historically, he’s played against the Kings in just 24 games, registering 21 points thanks to 11 goals and ten helpers. Additionally, he’s got a career minus rating against 11 franchises, and the Kings are one of those, providing Ovechkin with a minus-six rating. Although he recently returned to the lineup, he has three goals and six points in his last six games, including two goals against San Jose on Saturday.
Although Zach MacEwan will make his Kings debut tonight, the player to watch against the visiting Capitals has to be Kevin Fiala. As the team’s leading scorer, he’s recently been on a cold streak, with just one goal in his last seven games, despite collecting five points.
After collecting an empty goal on Saturday against St. Louis, hopefully, the tally reignites his confidence as he continues his trek towards his second consecutive season of 30 or more goals. Even though he continues to pile up the helpers, getting him firing on all cylinders heading into the playoffs will force teams to reevaluate any game plan against the Kings, who are getting offense from all team members.
LA Kings & Capitals Historical Notes
Tonight, the Kings and Capitals will face off for the 118th time in the regular season, a matchup that LA holds a comfortable lead in with a 61-41-13-2 record. Interestingly, the Kings’ seven-best win percentage in team history is against Washington (.585) and is the second-highest (New Jersey Devils) against a club they have faced at least 100 times. Additionally, they hold a decent lead on the scoreboard, 426-396, good enough for 3.64 goals a game.
Based on their record at Great Western Forum (12-25-6), the Capitals have never enjoyed a trip to the city. However, they have faired much better at Crypto.com Arena, going 6-8-0-2 in 16 games since 1999. Despite the overall success in the matchup, the Kings have lost the last three home games to the Capitals, last winning (3-1) on home ice on Mar. 8, 2018.
Who’s Next for the LA Kings
The Kings head on the road for a Thursday night contest against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver before returning home for a seven-game home stand starting on Saturday.
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