The Washington Capitals will look to win consecutive games for the first time this month when they visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Playing in the third contest of a six-game road trip, the Capitals ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 win at the Calgary Flames on Friday. Washington has not won two in a row since a six-game winning streak from Nov. 24-Dec. 3.
The Oilers come in having lost two straight games, including a 6-2 setback to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Washington rallied from a one-goal deficit against Calgary by outshooting the Flames 30-10 over the final two periods.
Hendrix Lapierre, Aliaksei Protas and captain Alex Ovechkin each scored a goal on Friday. Defenseman Martin Fehervary had two assists and Logan Thompson made 25 saves.
“It’s a big one for us,” Protas said. “Basically the playoffs have already started for us if we want to get there. Obviously, a huge win. Everybody on the same page and much needed for us.”
Washington sits just outside playoff position both in terms of the Metropolitan Division and the wild card.
“It’s not like we’re a team where like, ‘Oh, this is going to be an uphill battle,'” said forward Tom Wilson, who had an assist. “We know we have the group to do it. We’ve just got to go out there and play the right way. We have confidence in this group.”
Lapierre snapped a 90-game goal drought by tying Friday’s game in the second period.
Charlie Lindgren will get the start in the net Saturday for Washington. He is 3-1-0 with a 3.51 goals-against average and .882 save percentage in his career versus the Oilers.
Edmonton allowed three goals during a 37-second stretch in the first period against Pittsburgh and was never in it, falling to 1-2-0 to start an eight-game homestand.
Jake Walman and Matt Savoie each scored a goal for the Oilers, who have lost four of the past six games (2-3-1). Tristan Jarry made 16 saves against his former team.
Superstar captain Connor McDavid did not score a goal, extending his streak to a season-long seven games without one. He has been held without a point in back-to-back contests
“Well, it starts with me, I think,” McDavid said. “The last two probably weren’t my best. I could be better. When I’m better, usually the whole group responds, and that starts there.”
McDavid has scored nine goals in 16 games versus Washington.
Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl returned to the lineup Thursday after missing three games for personal reasons. He recorded a minus-1 rating in 19:17 of ice time.
Despite the recent slide, Edmonton remains in the thick of the Pacific Division chase with only a handful of points separating the Vegas Golden Knights, the Oilers and the surging Anaheim Ducks.
“There’s 30 games left, we’re coming down the home stretch here,” McDavid said. “The sense of urgency has to go up in our group. The playoff race is really tight and we have to find a way to get points here, especially at home.”
No stranger to Washington from his days with Pittsburgh, Jarry is 6-5-1 with a 3.23 GAA and .899 save percentage in 13 games against the Capitals.
Ryan Leonard scored two goals to help the Capitals top the Oilers 7-4 in the teams’ first meeting in Washington on Nov. 19. Defenseman Darnell Nurse scored twice for Edmonton.
