Oct 14, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) celebrates after scoring the sport profitable objective on Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) in additional time at Capital One Area. Necessary Credit score: Geoff Burke-Imagn Photos The Washington Capitals have discovered a strong, early-season rhythm that may present sufficient momentum to halt their latest struggles towards the Minnesota Wild.
On the lookout for a fourth consecutive victory, the Capitals host the Wild on Friday night time.
Washington opened the season with a 3-1 residence setback to Boston, then gained the subsequent three. The Capitals rallied twice from a objective down to beat Tampa Bay, 3-2 in additional time on Tuesday.
A yr in the past, Washington additionally dropped its season opener, then gained 5 in a row.
“It is robust to win a sport on this league,” stated Washington’s Jakob Chychrun, who scored 1:19 into additional time Tuesday.
“It is simply good to proceed to construct some confidence. … We’re simply attempting to maintain pushing and by no means be happy.”
Chychrun has 4 factors on the younger season, whereas Capitals famous person Alex Ovechkin has posted two assists, however hasn’t added to his NHL-record 897 targets up to now. It marks the second time in three seasons that Ovechkin didn’t register a objective in his first 4 contests.
Ovechkin has 20 targets with 18 assists in 25 profession video games versus Minnesota. Nevertheless, the Wild are 7-0-1 of their final eight video games towards the Capitals.
Minnesota star Kirill Kaprizov has not recorded a degree in any of his 4 video games versus Washington, however enters this contest with 4 targets and 5 assists by way of the primary 4 video games of the season.
Kaprizov posted a objective with an help throughout Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at Dallas.
“We’re nonetheless going by way of it,” stated Wild coach John Hynes, whose group has break up the primary 4 video games of the season.
Minnesota is a stellar 10-for-21 on the ability play by way of these 4 video games, however has not scored a 5-on-5 objective in any of the final three contests.
“It is not for a scarcity of offensive zone time, it isn’t for a scarcity of photographs, it isn’t for a scarcity of alternatives,” Hynes stated about that latest drought.
“I feel we simply received to stick with it. If there was no offensive strain, then I feel it might in all probability be slightly bit extra regarding.”
Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have mixed for seven power-play targets for the Wild.
In the meantime, Minnesota’s Filip Gustavsson has a 3.06 goals-against common whereas shedding two of his three begins this season. Nevertheless, he is 3-1-0 with a 2.72 GAA and .912 save proportion versus Washington for his profession.
Backup Jesper Wallstedt made 31 saves throughout Minnesota’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
Washington’s Logan Thompson has stopped 70 of the 76 photographs he is confronted whereas 2-1-0 to open the season. Teammate Charlie Lindgren, although, might quickly see the online once more after he stopped all 35 photographs throughout the Capitals’ 1-0 highway win over the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Coming off his breakout 30-goal, 36-assist 2024-25 season, Washington’s Aliaksei Protas has three targets with two assists to start this marketing campaign. Nevertheless, he has not registered a degree in six profession video games towards the Wild.
–Subject Degree Media
