Ilya Samsonov Will Start In Goal Against Kings

The Capitals play the second game of their back-to-back set in Southern California when they face the Kings tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Puck drop is set for just after 10:30 PM ET.

The Capitals did not hold a gameday morning skate this morning following their 3-2 overtime loss to the Ducks last night in Anaheim. Coach Peter Laviolette did meet with the media when the team arrived at the Staples Center earlier this evening.

Laviolette said that Ilya Samsonov will get the start in goal tonight against the Kings. Samsonov is 4-0-0-1 with a 2.93 GAA and a .894 save percentage. Jonathan Quick will get the start between the pipes for the Kings. Quick has a record of 4-3-0-1 with a 1.98 GAA and a .935 save percentage.

Ilya Samsonov will be in net tonight in Los Angeles, per Laviolette. Lars Eller is still in NHL Covid protocols.

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) November 18, 2021

The Capitals have earned a point in five straight games overall and are 4-1-2 on the road this season – a .714 point percentage – which ranks third in the NHL (Carolina: .857; Tampa Bay: .750).

Garrett Pilon scored his first career goal last night against the Anaheim Ducks, becoming the fifth different player to score his first career goal for the Capitals this season, joining Connor McMichael, Brett Leason, Martin Fehervary and Hendrix Lapierre.

Garrett Pilon with his first NHL goal, tying it up at 1 for the Capitals in the third!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/X3khM32NTM

— Hockey Daily 365 (@HockeyDaily365) November 17, 2021

Six different rookies dressed for the Capitals against the Ducks (Fehervary, McMichael, Leason, Pilon, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Aliaksei Protas), marking the first time the Capitals have played with six rookies in their lineup since Jan. 16, 2011 (John Carlson, Jay Beagle, Andrew Gordon, Marcus Johansson, Michal Neuvirth and Mathieu Perreault).

In total, Washington has dressed seven different rookies this season and have had six rookies record at least one point, which is the second most in the NHL (San Jose: eight rookies with at least one point). Additionally, the Capitals’ 17 combined points by their rookies is the fifth-highest total in the NHL this season (Detroit: 33; Anaheim: 24; Nashville: 23; San Jose: 22).