Only two games on the NHL schedule tonight, both out west. Our NHL preview begins in Alberta as the Washington Capitals (32-25-9) face the Calgary Flames (33-29-5) at Scotiabank Saddledome. The puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. Going into the game tonight Washington is just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
These races almost always come down to the last days of the regular season. The other game has the Buffalo Sabres meeting the Seattle Kraken at 10:00 p.m. ET at Climate Pledge Arena. The Sabres are in a bit of a tougher spot, they’re five points out of the wild card. Right now there are five teams within five points of the last wild card spot.
NHL: Caps visit Calgary tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET
The Capitals have just 16 NHL games remaining in the 2023-24 season, and they wrap up a five-game road trip tonight. The team has won four of their last six. “These games, they’re meaningful hockey, playoff-type hockey for us,” said forward Tom Wilson. Right now the Caps are -30 in goals scored/goals against and they’re still right in the hunt for the wild card. The trouble with Washington this year is scoring goals. They average only 2.6 goals per game. Calgary has won two in a row.
It’s expected the organization’s top prospect Dustin Wolf will get the start in goal tonight. Veteran number one goalie Jakob Markstrom is still day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Wolf has played well and impressed the front office stopping 64 of 67 shots. The Hockey News reports today the team needs 26 of the final 30 points available to have a shot at a wild card, while that is possible, it’s unlikely. The Flames have won two NHL games in a row with the rookie in the net.
NHL: Buffalo Sabres Visit Seattle at 10:00 p.m. ET
Both Seattle and Buffalo are in sixth place in their respective NHL divisions, but the Kraken are 11 points out of a playoff spot. The Sabres’s best player in the second half has been their goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In Luukkonen’s last 23 starts, he has a .929 save percentage. He has allowed three or fewer goals in 25 of his last 26 games. All-Star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is second in the NHL in goals for defensemen. The Kraken have lost four straight games and are playing .500 at home this season. Jared McCann has 27 goals and 26 assists for the Kraken. Oliver Bjorkstrand has five goals and two assists over the last 10 NHL games.
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