A Pivotal Road Trip Begins
The Calgary Flames, currently sitting at 27-21-8, embark on a season-defining road trip starting in Washington, DC, on Tuesday night. They will face one of the NHL’s top teams, the Capitals, and their premier goal scorer, Alex Ovechkin. Just a few weeks ago, these two teams met at the Saddledome on January 28, with Washington emerging victorious with a 3-1 win and Ovechkin being kept off the scoresheet. Since returning from the 4 Nations Face-off, the Capitals have been on a tear, defeating Pittsburgh 8-3 and Edmonton 7-3. In contrast, the Flames have only played once, securing a 3-2 win over San Jose on Sunday night. This road trip is crucial for Calgary, and a strong start against the Capitals could set the tone for their upcoming games.
Recent Form and Key Players
Calgary is 4-5-1 in their last ten games, with a balanced offense that has found success on the power play, scoring a goal in eight of their recent games. Dustin Wolf, who has started in eight of the last ten games, has assumed the role of the primary goaltender but will not play tonight. Dan Vladar will take over between the pipes. Vladar has a career record of 44-33-15 with a 3.07 GAA and .892 SV%. In his last five starts, he has a 1-4-0 record, a 3.00 GAA, and a .896 SV%. Against the Capitals, Vladar has a 2-2-0 record with a 4.23 GAA and an .850 SV%.
On the other side, the Capitals have been dominant, going 6-1-3 in their last ten games and outscoring their opponents 44-30. Alex Ovechkin, who is closing in on Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record, needs just 16 more goals to tie the record. Logan Thompson, the Capitals’ starting goaltender, has a season record of 25-2-5 with a 2.25 GAA and a .920 SV%. In his last five starts, Thompson has a 3-0-2 record with a 3.20 GAA and a .897 SV%. Against the Flames, Thompson has a 4-2-0 record with a 2.39 GAA and a .932 SV%.
Goals and Defensive Challenges
The Capitals have scored 15 goals in their last two games, while the Flames average just 2.64 goals per game. The last time these teams met, Calgary managed only one goal. After their narrow win on Sunday, can the Flames slow down one of the NHL’s hottest teams, even for just one night? The Flames will need to tighten their defensive efforts and capitalize on their power-play opportunities to have a chance against the high-scoring Capitals.
Road Trip Significance
The Flames begin their six-game road trip on Tuesday. A victory against the Capitals would set a positive tone for the next week and a half, which could be pivotal for their playoff hopes. Who will step up and have a moment in one of the team’s more crucial games this late into the season? Two unlikely heroes, Kevin Rooney and Joel Hanley, had significant goals for Calgary a few nights ago. Can other players on lengthy goal droughts, such as Martin Pospisil (nine games), Mikael Backlund (ten games), or Ryan Lomberg (24 games), find the same magic in their sticks?
Rasmus Andersson and Tom Wilson
Tonight’s game will mark the first time Rasmus Andersson and Tom Wilson share the ice since their last highly entertaining meeting. The two have history, and their on-ice interactions have been known to generate excitement. Will there be fireworks between the two, or will both players move on and focus on the game at hand? Their dynamic could add an additional layer of intensity to an already significant matchup.
Team Standings and Leaders
Calgary Flames:
- 5th Pacific Division
- 3rd Western Wildcard
- 9th Western Conference
- 16th NHL
Washington Capitals:
- 1st Metropolitan Division
- 1st Eastern Conference
- 3rd NHL
Flames Leaders:
- Goals: Jonathan Huberdeau (21)
- Assists: MacKenzie Weegar (26)
- Points: Jonathan Huberdeau & Nazem Kadri (42)
- PIM: Brayden Pachal (76)
- PPG: Jonathan Huberdeau (7)
- SOG: Nazem Kadri (189)
Capitals Leaders:
- Goals: Alex Ovechkin (29)
- Assists: Dylan Strome (40)
- Points: Dylan Strome (58)
- PIM: Tom Wilson (50)
- PPG: Tom Wilson (10)
- SOG: Alex Ovechkin (154)
Lineup and Broadcast Information
According to the Flames staff at NHL.com, here’s a breakdown of tonight’s lineup (subject to change):
FORWARDS:
- Jonathan Huberdeau — Nazem Kadri — Matt Coronato
- Connor Zary — Mikael Backlund — Blake Coleman
- Joel Farabee — Morgan Frost — Yegor Sharangovich
- Ryan Lomberg — Kevin Rooney — Martin Pospisil
DEFENCE:
- Kevin Bahl — Rasmus Andersson
- Joel Hanley — Mackenzie Weegar
- Ilya Solovyov — Brayden Pachal
GOALIES:
- Dan Vladar
- Dustin Wolf
SCRATCHES:
- Adam Klapka, Jake Bean, Daniil Miromanov
Tonight’s game starts at 5:00 p.m. MT and will be available on MNMT, SN, and Sportsnet+.
