Jan. 28 vs. Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome
Time: 9:00 p.m.
TV: MNMT
Radio: 106.7 THE FAN, Caps Radio 24/7
Washington Capitals (33-10-5)
Calgary Flames (23-16-7)
More than a week into their season long, five-game, 12-day road trip, the Caps begin to make their way back east as they visit the Flames in Calgary on Tuesday. For the first time in calendar 2025, the Caps come into the Calgary game on the heels of a regulation loss, a 2-1 setback to the Canucks in Vancouver on Saturday.
Each of the last three games the Caps and Canucks have played ended with a 2-1 final score; the Caps prevailed in two of the three, needing overtime to do so once.
Even in losing Saturday’s game, the Capitals surrendered only two goals against, the seventh straight game in which they’ve yielded two or fewer goals against. On the season, the Caps’ average of 2.37 goals against per game is the lowest in the NHL.
Washington’s streak of seven straight games with two or fewer goals against is the team’s longest in nearly 14 years, since a seven-game run from Feb. 26-March 11, 2011. The Caps also had an eight-game run earlier that season (Jan. 20-Feb. 8, 2011), one of four instances in franchise history of eight straight games without giving up as many as three goals against in any game. The franchise record is nine, established Jan. 9-31, 1998, during the team’s first run to the Stanley Cup final, midway through the 1997-98 season.
Saturday’s loss snapped the Caps’ season high winning streak at six games, and it halted their point streak at a dozen (9-0-3). The Caps are now 8-1-3 since the calendar flipped to 2025, they are 10-2-3 since the NHL’s holiday break, and they are 12-3-3 since the last time they lost consecutive games, on Dec. 16-17 of last year.
Goaltending has been a critical ingredient in Washington’s success this season, and that’s particularly true of the team’s last nine games, a run in which it has yielded just 10 goals against. The Caps are 7-1-1 in those nine games.
With all of those stingy defensive and goaltending stats as a backdrop to a terrific 2024-25 season, it’s no surprise that the Caps made news on Monday when they announced a six-year contract extension for goaltender Logan Thompson just after the conclusion of a late morning practice at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena. Thompson’s six-year deal concludes after the 2030-31 NHL season, and it carries an annual salary cap hit of $5.85 million.
“We got it done pretty quick, and finalized it this morning,” says Thompson. “I’m really happy to be here for many more years to come. I’ve loved my time here, and I’m just thankful for the opportunity that the Capitals gave me.”
Acquired from Vegas last June 29 in exchange for a pair of third-round picks – one in the 2024 Draft and one in 2025 – Thompson has formed a formidable netminding tandem with Charlie Lindgren. As noted earlier, Thompson and Lindgren have combined to allow the fewest goals per game (2.37) this season, and they’re a big reason why Washington sits atop the Eastern Conference standings as it prepares to play its 50th game of the season here in Calgary on Tuesday.
Only eight times this season in 49 games has a Washington netminder yielded a goal after the start of the third period that would put Washington behind on the scoreboard. The third-period stinginess of their goaltenders has helped the Caps to a 21-1-1 record this season when leading after 40 minutes of play.
“I’m really happy for him, and proud of what he has done here this year, the impression he has made on the organization, and how well he has played,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “Anytime – inside of the team sport and the team setting – that an individual has been able to accomplish what he has done, and earn a contract like that for the future, it’s incredible, especially for his story as well, and where he has come from.
“And I’ve known him for a long time – since he came into the organization years ago in South Carolina – and to know sign a long-term deal like this, and be able to financially look after his family for the foreseeable future, it’s a big deal, so I’m happy for him.”
Despite ranking 26th in the NHL with 26 starts (27 appearances), Thompson is third in the League with 22 wins (22-2-3). According to moneypuck.com, Thompson’s 26.8 goals saved above expected are second only to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (27.6) among all goaltenders with at least 18 appearances this season.
“It was tough leaving Vegas; that's kind of all I ever knew,” says Thompson. “That organization gave me my first ever chance to be in the NHL, and I knew it was a risk, and a gamble, but I've always enjoyed my time here. I love the coaching staff, I love the players, and they brought me in and right away it was just an easy transition. And I just couldn't be happier to be here for six more years.”
A native of Calgary, Thompson arrived in his hometown late Monday afternoon with a new contract.
Heading into Monday’s slate of NHL activity, the Flames are holding down the second wild card spot in the Western Conference standings. With 55 points, Calgary holds a three-point edge over the Caps’ previous opponent, Vancouver.
January has been road heavy for the Flames, who will be playing their third game in four nights – and their fourth game in six nights – on Tuesday against the Capitals. Calgary has played eight of its first dozen games of January on the road, but it opens a three-game homestand against Washington on Tuesday, so the Flames will finish out the month where they started it, at home.
On Sunday in Winnipeg, the Flames had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 5-2 loss to the Jets. Calgary has won six of its last nine games overall (6-0-3). The Flames have earned at least a point in seven of their last nine home games (5-2-2).
