The Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 4-1 Saturday night at Capital One Arena. The win improved the Capitals’ record to 31-10-5 and 67 points on the season on the season. Goaltender Logan Thompson made eighteen saves in the victory.
The Lineup
Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Connor McMichael
Aliaksei Protas – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Tom Wilson
Taylor Raddysh – Lars Eller – Ethen Frank
Brandon Duhaime – Nic Dowd – Andrew Mangiapane
Rasmus Sandin – John Carlson
Martin Fehervary – Matt Roy
Jakob Chychrun – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Scratches: Left-wing Jakub Vrana and defensemen Dylan McIlrath and Alex Alexeyev
Injuries: Left-wing Sonny Milano (upper-body), center Nicklas Backstrom (hip, LTIR) and right-wing T.J. Oshie (back, LTIR)
First Period
The Capitals would open tonight’s scoring with a goal from Chychrun (13) at the 7:42 mark. Protas (19) assisted.
Quick Stats
SOG: 9-8 Capitals
Face-Off Win %: 61.5% (Capitals), 38.5% (Penguins)
Hits: 10-8 Capitals
Second Period
Protas (19) would register his own goal at the 12:08 mark, making it 2-0 in favor of Washington. Dubois (28) and McMichael (16) had the assists.
Quick Stats
Total SOG: 20-14 Capitals
Face-Off Win %: 53.3% (Capitals), 46.7% (Penguins)
Total Hits: 20-12 Capitals
Third Period
The Penguins would spoil the Capitals’ chance for a shutout, as right-wing Bryan Rust got Pittsburgh on the board at the 11:29 mark, making it a 2-1 game.
Dubois (8) would make it 3-1 late in the final frame. McMichael (17) had the helper.
It would be 4-1 in favor of the Capitals thanks to Duhaime’s (6) late period goal. Wilson (15) and Dowd (7) assisted.
Quick Stats
Total SOG: 33-19 Capitals
Face-Off Win %: 54.7% (Capitals), 45.3% (Penguins)
Total Hits: 27-17 Capitals
Notes Through the Game
- Wilson played in his 800th career game tonight versus Pittsburgh. Wilson, who was drafted by the Capitals in the first round (16th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, is the third-youngest player in franchise history to reach the 800-game mark.
- Chychrun’s 13 goals rank third among NHL defensemen (Zach Werenski: 15g; Cale Makar: 15g).
- Thirty-six of Protas’ 37 points this season have come at even strength, which leads the Capitals and ranks tied for 12th in the NHL.
- Protas registered his 18th even-strength goal, which is tied for the fifth most in the NHL.
- Protas notched his 12th multi-point game of the season.
- Nineteen of Dubois’ 28 assists this season have been primaries, which is tied with Strome for the most on Washington.
- McMichael has tallied 19 points (10g, 9a) in 15 games against Metropolitan Division opponents this season.
- With two points tonight (1g, 1a), Dubois has recorded his seventh multi-point performance of the season.
- Duhaime has tallied four points (2g, 2a) in his last four games dating back to Jan. 11 at Nashville.
- Wilson is now one assist shy of 200 career assists.
- The Capitals have earned at least one point in 12-straight home games dating back to Nov. 29 (9-0-3). It marks the team’s longest home point streak since the 2016-17 season.
- The Capitals’ 10-game point streak (7-0-3 since Dec. 31) is the longest active streak in the NHL and the team’s longest of the 2024-25 season.
- With a 4-1 win tonight, the Capitals improve to 31-10-5 (67 points) and have moved into first place in the National Hockey League.
- Thompson stopped 18 of 19 shots faced tonight to improve to 21-2-3. He (21 wins in 26 GP) ranks tied for third in the NHL in wins.
- Thompson has stopped 93 of 95 shots against (.979 save percentage) over his last four starts.
