The Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals will look to build on impressive Saturday night wins when they meet Sunday night in Chicago.
The Capitals ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 shutout of the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers. The Blackhawks have won consecutive games for the first time this season after a 3-1 win against the visiting St. Louis Blues.
Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves to help the Capitals spoil former Capitals coach — and current Rangers leader — Peter Laviolette’s return to Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Tom Wilson posted his fifth goal in five games for the Capitals, who scored on the first shift of the game and broke it open with a three-goal second period.
“I just felt like from a total 60 minutes of playing our style of play, everybody on the same page with our structure, [it was] right up there with one of our most complete games of the year,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said.
Lindgren made 15 saves in the second period as Washington pulled away. He’ll remember the game for another reason: It was his first time playing against his brother, Ryan, in the NHL.
“Maybe for the last five [minutes] of the second period they tilted it a little bit,” Wilson said. “But for the most part we felt pretty confident with our game the whole night against a good team. So we’ll just try to keep building on it.”
Wilson has six points in his past five games. Sonny Milano, a healthy scratch in the previous game, opened the scoring 43 seconds in, and Anthony Mantha and Nicolas Aube-Kubel also scored.
Washington captain Alex Ovechkin had four shots on net but now has gone nine games without a goal. Forward T.J. Oshie returned after missing six games because of an upper-body injury.
Expected Sunday starter Darcy Kuemper is 7-2-1 with a 2.26 goals-against average (GAA) and .923 save percentage vs. Chicago.
Petr Mrazek made 38 saves for the Blackhawks on Saturday night and lost the shutout with 3:29 remaining. It would have been his second straight after making 37 saves in blanking the Anaheim Ducks 1-0 on Thursday.
“I just saw the puck really well, especially early,” Mrazek said. “I [saved] the breakaway in the first minute in the first period, and that gets you going. And like I said two days ago, when you see the puck early, it makes the game a little easier.”
Anthony Beauvillier, rookie Alex Vlasic and Jason Dickinson scored for Chicago, and Nikita Zaitsev had two assists. It was Beauvillier’s first goal in his fourth game since he was acquired Nov. 28 in a trade with Vancouver.
The Blackhawks have points in three straight games for the first time this season.
“I think we really needed to build some momentum at home,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “I think that’s important for our team, but also just for the culture around here moving forward. We want to make sure that we do that. So I think we’re feeling good.”
Blackhawks rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski missed the game for family reasons, Richardson said.
Chicago’s expected starting goalie on Sunday, Arvid Soderblom, has never faced the Capitals.
The teams will meet for the first time this season.
–Field Level Media
