There are two games on the NHL schedule Wednesday night, and one big rivalry matchup. Here are few things to look for prior to puck drop.
Showdown in Washington
It’s time for another edition of hockey’s favourite showdown: Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin.
This will be the second meeting between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals this season, though the first meeting between these two captains. (Crosby was out to start the season, missing Pittsburgh’s season-opening win over the Capitals, which was settled in a shootout.)
Overall, this will be the 39th all-time matchup between Crosby and Ovechkin. Crosby’s Penguins hold a 24-12-2 edge over Ovechkin’s Capitals during that time.
Crosby will look to continue his remarkable start to the season, during which time he has scored 10 goals and three assists through nine games. Ovechkin has seven goals and four assists through 15 games, but has been held pointless in each of his past six games against Pittsburgh.
The Penguins will be well-rested coming off Saturday’s win over the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Capitals played Tuesday night — an overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
As expected, Braden Holtby will get the start Wednesday night, and he’ll have to be at his best against the fourth highest-shooting team in the league. Pittsburgh has taken over 40 shots in each of their last two games, for a total of 90 shots. However, they’re also allowing plenty of shots against, at a rate of 33.7 shots per game.
Matt Murray will take the crease for the Penguins, and momentum looks to be on his side. Murray has won 11 consecutive starts dating back to last March and has a 1.25 GAA and .961 save percentage to go with his 4-0-0 record this year.
Battle at the bottom
The Calgary Flames broke a four-game win streak when they defeated the Minnesota Wild 1-0 Tuesday night, thanks to Johnny Gaudreau’s first period goal and goaltender Chad Johnson’s 27-save shutout. Gaudreau, who struggled in the early goings of the season with just two goals in his first 14 games, looks like he could be back to his goal-scoring ways.
But while the Flames won the game, they lost Gaudreau. The speedy winger was the target of many slashes and shoves throughout Tuesday’s victory, and even left the game on two occasions: once during the second period, and again in the third. He did not return after leaving in the third period.
Sportsnet’s John Shannon reported Wednesday morning that Gaudreau suffered a broken finger and will require surgery.
The Flames, now 6-10-1 and tied for second-last in the league, will be looking to string together two straight wins for just the second time this season when they host the Coyotes, who have also had a rough start to the 2016-17 campaign.
The Coyotes are stuck in dead last in the league with a 5-9-0 record through 14 games. The young club is heading into a back-to-back of its own, starting in Calgary and ending in Vancouver Thursday night.
Part of the reason for the Coyotes’ struggles have been due to injuries — most notably, with goaltender Mike Smith. Smith went down on Oct. 18, but head coach Dave Tippett said on Saturday that he could be ready to return to action against the Flames.
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