Will they or won’t they? Play, that is. The Washington Capitals had the last three games of their schedule before Christmas postponed as the league went dark until after the holiday break. A fourth consecutive game, that against the Ottawa Senators scheduled for Monday, was postponed as well. That still leaves three games on the Week 12 schedule, but whether or not any or all of them will be played is an uncertain matter as the week opens. Nevertheless, we take a look at the three opponents still on the schedule.
The Opponents
Nashville Predators (Wednesday/7:00pm – Capital One Arena)
“Hot chicken” is a thing in Nashville, where the dish is accompanied by a bevy of spices to bring the heat. Well, the Nashville Predators have not lacked for “bringing the heat” lately. The Preds go into Week 12 on a seven-game winning streak, tied with Pittsburgh for the longest current winning streak in the league. Their plus-1.57 goal differential per game is third over that stretch, trailing only Carolina (2.00), and Pittsburgh (2.27).
Nashville has largely done it with defense, allowing only 2.00 goals per game in the 7-0-0 run, tied for third best scoring defense in the league over that span. The low scoring defense is a product of limiting shots on goal, the Preds allowing the fewest shot on goal per game (24.0) in their last seven games. It is a significant improvement over the 30.8 shots allowed per game in the 23 games before this streak (14th in the league). Their 34.6 shot attempts allowed per game at 5-on-5 over the streak is fewest in the league.
Nashville has been very adept sat preventing opponents from getting off to good starts in this recent run. Over their last seven games they allowed only two first period goals, tied with the Caps for second-fewest over that span (the Penguins have not allowed a first period goal in the same span). Twice in those seven games they allowed the game’s first goal (tied for fourth-fewest in the league), and they did not trail at the first intermission in any of those seven games (they were 4-0-0 when leading after 20 minutes). There was, however, a “blessings of the hockey gods” aspect to their record. Five of the seven wins came by one-goal margins, two of them settled in overtime.
Washington is 13-15-2 (one tie) in the all-time series against Nashville, 8-6-1 on home ice. The Caps are 2-7-1 in the last ten meetings between the teams and have lost their last eight games to the Predators (0-7-1).
Detroit Red Wings (Friday/7:30pm – Little Caesars Arena)
Thirty-one games into the season, and the Detroit Red Wings are in the playoff mix, sitting in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, three points ahead of the Boston Bruins, who have five games in hand on Detroit. The Red Wings have stumbled recently, going 2-4-0 in their last six games. They seem to have lost their way in their own end over those six games, allowing 26 goals (4.33 goals allowed per game) after allowing 3.12 goals per game over their first 25 games. All four losses were by multi-goal margins, three of them by three of more goals. This has been an issue for the Wings this season, who are 4-9 in games decided by three or more goals this season.
Detroit has managed to avoid, for the most part, the three-or-more losses on home ice, where they are 3-2-0 in such games this season. The Red Wings are actually a rather formidable team on home ice, where their 11-3-2 record and .750 points percentage is tied with Carolina for fifth-best in the league.
What the Red Wings have not been able to do on home ice is score on power plays. Their 14.9 percent power play is the fourth-worst in the league on home ice. Although the Wings are 8-2-0 in their last ten home games, their power play was just 3-for-25 (12.0 percent).
The Red Wings are not an especially physical team, at least on home ice. Their 14.92 credited hits per 60 minutes is second-fewest in the league. On the other hand, they have had difficulty playing within the rules at Little Caesars Arena, their 55 minor penalties taken ranking fourth in the league, but they do have a 0.25 net penalties per 60 minutes, despite the volume of minors taken.
One thing to watch will be how the teams perform in the first period. Detroit has only ten goals in first periods of home games and carries a minus-7 goal differential in the opening 20 minutes. Second periods are another matter entirely, where Detroit is plus-11 at home. The Red Wings also happen to be one of six teams not to have lost in regulation when scoring first at home.
The Caps are 55-45-6 (16 ties) in their all-time series against Detroit, 24-23-4 (11 ties) in the Motor City. The Caps are 7-1-2 in their last ten visits to Detroit, including wins in their last five meetings.
New Jersey Devils (Sunday/3:00pm – Capital One Arena)
A season that seemed promising after a dozen games, when the New Jersey Devils posted a 7-3-2 record, has dissolved into a rancid mess. New Jersey is 3-12-3 in their last 18 games and go into the new week on a six-game losing streak, all of the losses in regulation, four of them by multi-goal margins. What is more, the Devils have injury issues in goal, with number one goalie Mackenzie Blackwood listed as day-to-day with a neck injury, and Jonathan Bernier on injured reserve with a hip injury.
The problems go deeper than missing goalies at the moment. The Devils have allowed five or more goals in six of their last 11 games. They ae also an abominable road team, their 3-8-2 record being second-worst in standings points earned (eight) and fourth-worst in points percentage (.308). They have yet to win consecutive games on the road this season and enter the new week with a six-game losing streak on the road.
Again, defense is the issue with New Jersey on the road. They allowed four or more goals in each of the six games of their current road losing steak and allowed five or more goals four times. All six of the losses were by multi-goal margins, four of them by three or more goals. Over those six road games, teams shot an astounding 17.8 percent (32 goals on 198 shots).
The offense was almost as bad over those half-dozen road games, scoring only 13 goals (2.17 per cent) and posting a power play that went 1-for-15 (6.7 percent). To add insult to injury, the Devils’ power play was outscored, having allowed two shorthanded goals in that stretch.
Washington is 122-77-15 (13 ties) in the all-time series against the Devils, 70-30-8 (six ties) at home. The Caps are 9-1-0 in their last ten games against New Jersey on home ice and carry a nine-game winning streak into the contest.
Hot Caps:
Cold Caps:
Weird Facts:
Potential Milestones to Reach This Week (or soon):
Alex Ovechkin
John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Tom Wilson
Lars Eller
T.J. Oshie
Ilya Samsonov