The Washington Capitals will host the Dallas Stars for the first tilt between the two teams this season on Thursday (8 PM ET, ESPN). Dallas has taken the last three meetings against Washington and six of the last eight (Washington: 2-3-3).
Schedule
Dallas: ends three-game Southeast road trip (0-2-0) and back-to-back set after falling 5-4 to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday
Washington: returns from five-game road trip (2-3-0) following a 6-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, make first of just four stops at home over a span of 16 games
How Each Team Is Doing
Dallas: has lost three of last four (1-2-1) and six of their past nine (3-4-2) since a four-game winning-streak
Washington: has lost four of their last six in regulation after going 9-1-1 over their previous 11
Standings
Dallas: 14-7-3 (.646 points percentage — second in Central Division, fourth in Western Conference); three points behind Colorado Avalanche for first in division with a game in hand
Washington: 12-8-2 (.591 points percentage — third in Metropolitan Division, seventh in Eastern Conference); one point behind New York Islanders for second wild-card spot (in actual points) with two games in hand, two back Philadelphia Flyers (three)
Team Leaders
The graph pictures each teams’ player leaders. Dallas right-wing Joe Pavelski leads the squad in goals and points while Washington defenseman John Carlson co-leads them in points and is first in assists in addition to ice time.
Team Statistics
The following chart shows Dallas and Washington’s game averages heading into Thursday’s outing. Dallas is one of the best when it comes to special teams, offense, and faceoffs.
The second graph examines both teams’ underlying statistics at five-on-five so far this season. Dallas does a prolific job of generating opportunities at the offensive end of the rink.
Injuries/Illnesses
Dallas
- N/A
Washington
- LW Max Pacioretty (Achilles)
- C Nicklas Backstrom (hip)
- RW T.J. Oshie (upper-body)
Expected Goaltending Matchup
Dallas: Scott Wedgewood, 31 — 4-1-1, .911 save percentage, 3.17 goals-against average
Washington: Charlie Lindgren, 29 — 5-2-0, .928 save percentage, 2.46 goals-against average, one shutout
Projected Lines
Dallas
Robertson — Roope Hintz — Pavelski
Mason Marchment — Matt Duchene — Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn — Wyatt Johnston — Evgenii Dadonov
Sam Steel — Radek Faksa — Craig Smith
Ryan Suter — Heiskanen
Esa Lindell — Jani Hakanpaa
Thomas Harley — Joel Hanley
Wedgewood
Jake Oettinger
Scratched: C Ty Delleandrea, D Nils Lundkvist
Washington
Ovechkin — Strome — Wilson
Aliaksei Protas — Connor McMichael — Anthony Mantha
Hendrix Lapierre — Evgeny Kuznetsov — Matthew Phillips
Beck Malenstyn — Nic Dowd — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary — Carlson
Rasmus Sandin — Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Joel Edmundson — Nick Jensen
Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: RW Sonny Milano, D Alexander Alexeyev, D Lucas Johansen
Betting Odds (BetMGM)
Dallas: -140, Washington: +115
Over-under: 6 (-105 over, -115 under)
By Harrison Brown