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Oilers Look to Contain Red-Hot Capitals in Sunday Showdown
Any hope that the Washington Capitals would cool off after a 13-day break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament was quickly shut down. On Saturday, the Eastern Conference leaders dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-3, proving they’re still firing on all cylinders.
That win extended Washington’s point streak to seven games (4-0-3) and increased their Metropolitan Division lead to 12 points over the Carolina Hurricanes. Even more impressive, the Caps have picked up points in 19 of their last 20 games (13-1-6)—a streak that makes them one of the NHL’s most consistent teams.
Now, they’re set to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday afternoon in the second game of a back-to-back for both teams.
Oilers Looking to Shake Off Disappointing Loss
McDavid had little time to enjoy his heroics after scoring the overtime winner for Canada in the 4 Nations final on Thursday night. Less than two days later, he was back on the ice in Philadelphia—but it wasn’t a night to remember.
The Oilers fell 6-3 to the Flyers, and McDavid had a rare off-game, going pointless with a minus-3 rating in nearly 20 minutes of ice time.
One bright spot? Leon Draisaitl, who extended his point streak to seven games (six goals, five assists) with a goal and an assist. John Klingberg also added a goal and an assist.
However, the loss knocked Edmonton out of a share of first place in the Pacific Division with Vegas. They’ve now lost six of their last 11 games (5-5-1), and with a tough five-game road trip ahead, they need a quick turnaround.
Defenseman Darnell Nurse echoed that sentiment.
“We can execute at a higher level,” Nurse said. “This is a big trip, and the competition only gets tougher. We have to shake this off and be ready for another huge test tomorrow.”
Capitals’ Offense Keeps Rolling
Washington already beat Edmonton 3-2 on Jan. 21, and they’ll be looking for a repeat performance. On Saturday, they erupted for five goals in the second period, including two in an eight-second span, completely overwhelming Pittsburgh.
Incredibly, 15 of Washington’s 18 skaters recorded at least one point in the game. However, Alex Ovechkin, who’s chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, wasn’t one of them.
Instead, it was defenseman Jakob Chychrun who stole the spotlight, scoring twice in the Caps’ offensive explosion. He now ranks third among NHL defensemen with 16 goals.
“We were generating a lot of chances tonight, so I figured I’d get a couple,” Chychrun said. “It was a great game all around, and it felt good to be back with the team.”
Can Edmonton Slow Down Washington?
Washington has now scored eight goals in a game twice this season and leads the Eastern Conference with 204 goals scored—just two behind league-leading Winnipeg.
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With the Oilers struggling defensively and the Capitals in top form, Edmonton will need a near-perfect effort to escape Washington with a win. Will McDavid and company bounce back, or will the Capitals continue their dominant run?
