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NHL has no appetite to expand playoffs beyond its 16-team tournament for the Stanley Cup
Read full article: NHL has no appetite to expand playoffs beyond its 16-team tournament for the Stanley CupThe NHL is the only major North American professional sports league that has not expanded its playoffs in recent years.
NHL playoff race heats up as the Capitals, Flyers and Red Wings are vying for 2 spots in the East
Read full article: NHL playoff race heats up as the Capitals, Flyers and Red Wings are vying for 2 spots in the EastWhile the eight playoff teams in the NHL's Western Conference are all but settled, the race is on in the East, with three teams vying for two spots.
Defending Cup champs Golden Knights acquire Hertl. Hurricanes, Panthers dominate deals in the East
Read full article: Defending Cup champs Golden Knights acquire Hertl. Hurricanes, Panthers dominate deals in the EastThe defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights acquired Tomas Hertl from San Jose in what so far stands as the biggest deal made on the final day of NHL trading.
Ovechkin scores 750th career goal, Capitals beat Columbus
Read full article: Ovechkin scores 750th career goal, Capitals beat ColumbusAlex Ovechkin scored his 20th goal of the season and the 750th of his NHL career to help the Washington Capitals beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 and snap a two-game skid.
Ovechkin ties Hull for 4th all-time; Caps down Sabres 5-3
Read full article: Ovechkin ties Hull for 4th all-time; Caps down Sabres 5-3Alex Ovechkin scored his 741st career goal to tie Brett Hull for fourth on the NHLโs all-time list and help the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Vasilevskiy, Cirelli help Lightning end Capitals' streak
Read full article: Vasilevskiy, Cirelli help Lightning end Capitals' streakAndrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves, Anthony Cirelli had a goal and two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat Washington 3-2 to end the Capitalsโ eight-game season-opening point streak.
Smith scores in 2nd OT to lead Bruins past Capitals 3-2
Read full article: Smith scores in 2nd OT to lead Bruins past Capitals 3-2Craig Smith scored 5:48 into the second overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals and a 2-1 lead in their East Division first-round playoff series.
Washington Capitals take 3-0 lead, beat NJ Devils 5-2
Read full article: Washington Capitals take 3-0 lead, beat NJ Devils 5-2Washington Capitals right wing Garnet Hathaway (21) scores a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)NEWARK, N.J. โ Garnet Hathaway and Daniel Sprong scored in the opening 5:06, the streaking Washington Capitals built a big lead and held off the slumping New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Saturday. Nico Hischier and Pavel Zacha each scored for the second consecutive game for New Jersey, which has lost four of five. The Capitals, who rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat New Jersey last Sunday, learned from that game and started fast. Vanecek, playing in his 16th game, made at least three good saves early in the third period to keep Washington ahead. NOTES: The Devils presented C Travis Zajac a silver stick before the game for playing his 1,000th game last weekend.
Short-handed Capitals beat Sabres 4-3 in SO in home opener
Read full article: Short-handed Capitals beat Sabres 4-3 in SO in home openerโI wasnโt thinking about it," Vanecek said of his first NHL shootout. โWe want to win hockey games in good ways and feel good about ourselves,โ Dowd said. Buffalo rookie Dylan Cozens scored his first NHL goal on a top-shelf snipe past Vanecek in the second period. The Capitals were fined $100,000 Wednesday for breaking league rules since those four players were together in a hotel room not wearing masks. Goaltender Carter Hutton didnโt travel with the team because of an apparent head injury from a collision Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Guentzel's winner lifts Penguins by Capitals 4-3 in shootout
Read full article: Guentzel's winner lifts Penguins by Capitals 4-3 in shootoutDeSmith figured Ovechkin would try to fire one past him rather than deke his way to the net. DeSmith stayed upright as Ovechkin closed in and felt the familiar smack of rubber hitting him and not the net. โI thought our guys played hard in the second and third against a really good team,โ Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. While Sullivan remains confident Jarry will be fine, he turned to DeSmith to help get Pittsburgh going. Washington went 1 for 4 on the power play, a tap-in goal by Backstrom in the second that gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead.