The Washington Capitals clash with the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night in the first of four meetings, including two in 19 days (6 PM ET, Monumental Sports Network locally, NHL Network nationally), at PNC Arena. Carolina has won four straight contests against Washington dating back to March 28, 2022.
Schedule
Washington: close out three-game road trip, continue stretch where they play 12 over a span of 16 games on the road (4-4-2 so far)
Carolina: continue three-game homestand after opening it with a 6-5 overtime loss to Nashville Predators on Friday, stretch where they have play five of seven games at home.
How Each Team Is Doing
Washington: 2-1-2 in last five games after losing four of their previous six in regulation
Carolina: has gone 2-4-2 in last eight games, though they have points in three straight games (2-0-1)
Standings
Washington: 14-9-4 (.593 points percentage — fourth in Metropolitan Division, seventh in Eastern Conference); two points behind Detroit Red Wings and Carolina in the wild-card race in actual points with three games in hand on each, four behind New York Islanders (three) for third in Metropolitan
Carolina: 16-12-2 (.567 points percentage — sixth in Metropolitan Division, tied for ninth in Eastern Conference); tied with Detroit Red Wings; three back of Philadelphia Flyers (both teams have played 30 games) for second in division in actual points
Team Leaders
The graph shows each teams’ player leaders. Team Statistics
The following chart exemplifies Washington and Carolina’s game averages going into Sunday’s contest.
The second graph takes a look at both teams’ underlying statistics at five-on-five so far this season.
Injuries/Illnesses
Washington
Carolina
- RW Andrei Svechnikov (upper-body)
- G Frederik Andersen (blood clot)
Expected Goaltending Matchup
Washington: Darcy Kuemper, 33 — 6-6-2, .892 save percentage, 3.13 goals-against average
Carolina: Pytor Kochetkov, 24 — 6-6-1, .890 save percentage, 2.77 goals-against average, one shutout
Projected Lines
Washington
Alex Ovechkin — Strome — Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas — Connor McMichael — Anthony Mantha
Joe Snively — Evgeny Kuznetsov — T.J. Oshie
Beck Malenstyn — Nic Dowd — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary — Carlson
Rasmus Sandin — Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Joel Edmundson — Nick Jensen
Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
Scratched: RW Matthew Phillips, D Alexander Alexeyev, D Lucas Johansen
Carolina
Stefan Noesen — Aho — Seth Jarvis
Teuvo Teravainen — Jesperi Kotkaniemi — Martin Necas
Jordan Martinook — Jordan Staal — Jesper Fast
Michael Bunting — Jack Drury — Brendan Lemieux
Jaccob Slavin — Burns
Brady Skjei — Brett Pesce
Dmitry Orlov — Jalen Chatfield
Kochetkov
Yaniv Perets
Scratched: D Tony DeAngelo
Betting Odds (BetMGM)
Washington: +190, Carolina: -250
Over-under: 6 (-110 over/under)
By Harrison Brown