Game 65: 79-36-21-7 (PTS-W-L-OT) Streak - W2
Fri March 1, 2019 Washington Capitals @ New York Islanders
Place: Nassau Coliseum
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSWA+, MSG+
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Caps Radio 24/7
NHL.COM for Live Box Score
Last Game: Tue February 26 Capitals won 7-2 against Senators
Next Game: Sun Mar 3, 12:30 pm ET Capitals @ Rangers
 8-Ovechkin | 92-Kuznetsov | 43-Wilson |
| 13-Vrana | 19-Bäckström | 77-Oshie |
| 65-Burakovsky | 20-Eller | 10-Connolly |
| 62-Hagelin | 26-Dowd | 72-Boyd |
| 6-Kempny | 74-Carlson |
| 9-Orlov | 2-Niskanen |
| 44-Orpik | 3-Jensen |
|
| 70-Holtby (starter) |
| 1-Copley |
-- SCRATCH -- | 23-Jaskin |
| 18-Stephenson |
| 29-Djoos |
-- INJURED RESERVE -- -- 1st Powerplay Unit -- | 92-Kuznetsov | 19-Bäckström | 77-Oshie |
-- 2nd Powerplay Unit -- | 13-Vrana | 20-Eller | 43-Wilson |
Referees: Dan O’Rourke (#9), Marc Joannette (#25)
Linesmen: Tim Nowak (#77), Matt MacPherson (#83)
ISLANDERS LINEUP Anders Lee -- Brock Nelson -- Jordan Eberle
Anthony Beauvillier -- Mathew Barzal -- Josh Bailey
Andrew Ladd -- Valtteri Filppula -- Leo Komarov
Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck
Nick Leddy -- Johnny Boychuk
Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock
Devon Toews -- Scott Mayfield
Thomas Greiss (starter)
Robin Lehner
Note: Barry Trotz going for his 800th win tonight. Let's hope he doesn't get it.
1st Period02:43 Islanders GOAL Kuhnhackl, unassisted 1-0 NYI
2nd PeriodNone
3rd Period03:26 GOAL 13-Vrana, assists 19-Bäckström & 6-Kempny 1-1 TIE
04:34 PP GOAL 8-Ovechkin, assists 77-Oshie & 92-Kuznetsov 2-1 WSH
18:32 GOAL 77-Oshie, assisted by an Islander (unassisted) 3-1 WSH
FINAL: 3-1 WSH
By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 1 at 1:10 PM
Capitals, Islanders meet with significant standings implications at stake
Tom Wilson and the Capitals aim to close the gap on the first-place Islanders. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The last time the Washington Capitals were at Nassau Coliseum, they thought they left it for good — and in triumphant fashion with a first-round playoff win against the New York Islanders. Back then the old rink was known for its charm, its quirks and also for the improvements it seriously needed. Returning to the renovated version on Friday was “kind of like a weird déjà vu,” forward Tom Wilson said.
“You’ve kind of been here before, certain parts, but the Marriott [hotel across the street] has even changed a little bit,” Wilson said. “It’s different for sure.”
That 2015 playoff series sparked a rivalry between the Capitals and the Islanders, but as New York has missed the playoffs the past two seasons, the two teams haven’t played many meaningful games against each other. That all changed when Barry Trotz resigned as head coach in Washington, just 10 days after he guided the team to a Stanley Cup, to take the same position with the Islanders, infusing a new narrative into the matchup. And now that Trotz has New York atop the Metropolitan Division standings, Friday’s game against the Capitals could have significant standings implications.
“I think anytime you’re play a divisional game, it’s important, especially at this time of year and especially against a team that’s right beside you in the standings," Wilson said. "This time of year, you’re definitely watching the scores and you’re watching what’s happening in games and stuff. That being said, we’ve got to control this room, and if we worry about collecting points and playing our game, it’ll take care of itself.”
The Capitals and Islanders have split their first two games, and while Washington was expected to be a playoff-bound team again this season, New York has arguably been the league’s biggest surprise. After beating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, the Islanders have a two-point lead in the division, and a Capitals win would have both teams tied in points, though New York would still have a game in hand. Considering just five points separate Washington and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are out of postseason position at the moment, it’s the sort of security the Capitals desperately need.
Washington will want to get off to a better start than it has in its past three games, when it fell into early deficits against Buffalo, the New York Rangers and Ottawa, and that’ll be especially important considering the Islanders will be on tired legs after their game Thursday night. This will be the third straight game with this lineup, which includes trade-deadline additions Carl Hagelin and Nick Jensen, and stability is something the Capitals are searching for over the final stretch of the regular season.
“For us, it’s about improving the team that we have,” Coach Todd Reirden said. “We need to improve, we need to get better, we need to find chemistry with the players that we’ve added, regardless of the opponent or the situation. The importance for us is the trajectory of our game headed the proper way.”
