62 – Difference between the number of times shorthanded for the Capitals this season (237, fifth-most in the League) and tonight’s opponent, the Wild (175, second-lowest). The Caps have been the most penalized team in the Eastern Conference in 2016-17, and lead the East with a whopping 263 minors overall (although they are middle-of-the-pack in total penalty minutes thanks to their minimal fighting, just 13 on the year).
The good news? The Caps still have a pretty decent penalty-killing rate, despite some recent hiccups. The bad news is that so does Minnesota – and they’ve got a top-10 power play unit to their credit.
In fact, the two teams are just about even in both special teams… and just how much each one gets used may be a determining factor in tonight’s game.