It’s time for another Washington Capitals weekly update. The Capitals tied with the New York Islanders for one point behind the second Eastern Conference Wildcard position. The Capitals are four games into a five-game Western road trip which head coach Spencer Carbery called “the most critical point of our season.” They’re 2-2 on the trip with the Calgary Flames coming up next. Washington has 16 games left to play, more than any team ahead of it in the playoff race. Once the Capitals current road trip is over, they will play five of their remaining six games in March at home. Here is the Washington Capitals weekly update for March 10th through 16th.
Washington Capitals Weekly Updates: March 10 to 16
On-Ice Results
The Capitals didn’t get the start they wanted on their road trip. They were outscored 10-2 in the first two games between a shutout in Winnipeg and a seven-goal game by the Edmonton Oilers. The Jets scored a goal in each period and limited Washington to only 23 shots on net. Dylan Strome took four shots on goal and was the only Washington forward to win more than half his faceoffs. Three of his faceoff wins came during the Capitals first power play of the game in the third period. Strome told media postgame that his team would be better against Edmonton, but that didn’t happen.
The Oilers scored three power-play goals, including the first two goals of the game, and Zach Hyman had a hat trick to beat the Capitals 7-2. Two high-sticking penalties in the first ten minutes. This was including a double-minor to Nic Dowd, one of the Capitals primary penalty killers, which gave Edmonton a perfect 2-for-2 power play in the first period. Ivan Miroshnichenko scored his second NHL goal to prevent the Capitals from being shutout in consecutive games. Connor McMichael responded with a man-advantage goal for Washington to tie the game at two on the Capitals first two shots of the game. Oilers goalkeeper Stuart Skinner was perfect from then on, and Hyman scored the next three goals. Warren Foegele and Connor Brown added goals in the final 20 minutes. It was Brown’s first goal since March 24 of 2022.
The Capitals were much more successful in their next two games, winning each by a score of 2-1. Washington state-born T.J. Oshie scored what was essentially an empty-net power play goal to open the scoring in the second period. After Strome dumped the puck into the Kraken zone, Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord tried to fire the puck from the bottom of the right circle but Oshie’s forechecking allowed him to intercept it and direct it into the net. Oliver Bjorkstrand tied the game early in the third period, but Connor McMichael scored his second goal in two days eight minutes later. In Vancouver, the Capitals allowed the first goal for the third time of the road trip. However, Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin scored less than two minutes apart in the middle period and the Capitals held on for a win.
Injury Updates
All of Washington’s injured players from last week returned to play this week. Forward T.J. Oshie played in the first game of the trip, recording one shot on goal and two hits in 16:06 of playing time. Nic Dowd returned to centre the fourth line against Edmonton. He was a -2 and won less than one-third of his faceoffs. Defender Martin Fehervary also played against Edmonton. He recorded seven hits, a game-high for either team, in just over 17 minutes on the ice.
A few players had minor injuries this past week. Tom Wilson and Charlie Lindgren missed the morning skate in Winnipeg on Monday. Both were game-time decisions; Lindgren was well enough to start but Wilson did not dress. Aliaksei Protas played sore in that game because the Capitals didn’t have any other forwards available to take his spot. With Dowd’s return in Edmonton, Protas was able to rest his lower-body injury. He played the next night in Seattle. Saturday in Vancouver, Oshie left morning skate early and was a game-time decision. He was well enough to play and reached the 1,000 NHL games milestone.
Main photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
