Washington Capitals (10-4-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (9-8-0)
7 p.m. MT | Ball Arena | Watch: Altitude2, My20, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)
Riding a three-game win streak and a four-game home win streak, the Avalanche host the Washington Capitals on Friday. This is the first of two matchups between the teams, as they’ll meet again in six days in our nation’s capital.
Latest Result (WSH): TOR 4, WSH 3 (OT)
Latest Result (COL): LAK 2, COL 4
Conquered the Kings
The Avalanche secured their third-straight victory with a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena on Wednesday. Mikko Rantanen posted a natural hat trick, Artturi Lehkonen added a goal and an assist, while Nathan MacKinnon registered three assists. The Avs also allowed a season-low 15 shots on goal including a second-period effort where they held the Kings without a single shot on goal. Trailing early in the first period, Lehkonen tied the game at 3:40 when he Finn-ished off a rebound created by his compatriot Rantanen. Late in the second period, the Burgundy and Blue were down 2-1, but Cale Makar sent a perfect feed to lead Rantanen, who scored on a breakaway at 16:07. Midway through the third period of a tie game, MacKinnon won a board battle and sent a feed to Rantanen, who scored from the slot at 10:01. ‘The Moose’ completed his natural hat trick to double Colorado’s lead with an empty-net goal at 18:01 with a shot from the neutral zone.
Leading the Way
MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (33) and assists (26).
Rantanen is tied for second in the NHL in goals (12) and tied for third in points (25).
Makar leads NHL defensemen in goals (6), assists (19), and points (25), and is tied for third among all NHL skaters in points.
History
In 41 previous meetings, all in the regular season, the Avalanche are 18-19-4 against the Capitals. The Burgundy and Blue have won the last four matchups dating back to the start of the 2022-23 season.
A Loss to the Leafs
The Capitals lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime at Capital One Arena on Wednesday. Washington’s Taylor Raddysh opened the scoring at 11:12 of the first period before Toronto’s Bobby McMann evened the score at 12:11 of the opening frame. Dylan Strome gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission with a goal at 18:33 of the period and Aliaksei Protas doubled Washington’s lead at 17:48 of the second period. William Nylander pulled Toronto within a goal at 15:51 of the third and Mitch Marner tied the game with 48 seconds remaining in regulation. The Maple Leafs completed their comeback when John Tavares scored the game-winner with 47 seconds left in overtime.
Capitalizing Against the Caps
MacKinnon has posted 28 points (11g/17a) in 19 games against Washington, including a four-goal performance against the Capitals in 2023-24.
In seven games against Washington, Makar has posted six points (2g/4a) including three points (1g/2a) in a pair of contests last season.
Rantanen posted a five-assist game against the Capitals last season and has recorded 19 points (8g/11a) in 13 games against them.
Capitals by the Numbers
Dylan Strome leads the Capitals in points (23) and assists (18).
Alex Ovechkin and Connor McMichael are tied for the team lead in goals with 10. Ovechkin has posted 863-caree goals and is 31 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history.
Protas and Tom Wilson are tied for third on the team in goals with six.
A Numbers Game
59
The Avalanche have scored 59 goals this season, which is the sixth most in the NHL.
25.4
Colorado is allowing 25.4 shots on goal per game, the second fewest in the league.
274
Since entering the league in 2015-16 season, Rantanen has posted 274 goals, which is the 14th most in the NHL in that span.
100
MacKinnon and Rantanen have to assist on the same goal twice during tonight’s game to have assisted on the same goal 100 times.
Quote That Left a Mark
“Super smart hockey. We were on top of them the whole time. Didn’t let them have those odd-man rushes. Just played super solid. Played a lot in their end too. That helps keep the shots away from our net. Just overall very good defensive effort.”
-- Alexandar Georgiev on the team’s second-period performance against the Kings
