For the first time since November 23, the Carolina Hurricanes are hitting the road, taking a quick two-game trip to visit a few division opponents. The Canes wrapped up their seven-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After a slower start, the Canes pulled away in the third period, winning 4-1 and earning Brandon Bussi his ninth win in ten starts.
With Jaccob Slavin returning to practice in a normal capacity last week, the countdown has begun for when he'll finally be in the lineup again. He hasn't played since the second game of the season as he deals with a lower-body injury. The only other player on the shelf currently is Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who missed Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury as well.
On the Other Side: Washington Capitals
Last meeting: Exactly one month ago, the Capitals visited the Lenovo Center and executed their game plan to near perfection. They got off to a quick start and never relinquished their control of the game. Nikolaj Ehlers scored in the second period to cut into Washington's lead, but that was the only shot that beat Logan Thompson as the Capitals defeated the Hurricanes, 4-1.
Since their trip to Raleigh, the Capitals have been one of the hottest teams in the league. They've won 11 of their last 15 games (11-2-2) and have shot to the top of the Metropolitan Division. They remain one of the most balanced teams in the league, boasting a Top 3 offense and defense. The Capitals have scored 61 times during this stretch, including three games with seven or more goals.
Naturally, all eyes will stay on Alex Ovechkin. He was incredible during November, scoring 10 goals and 18 points in 15 games, including his 34th career hat trick against Montreal on November 20. Ovechkin has continued into December, starting the month with a pair of multi-point games. He's pushing for another 40-goal season, sitting just below that rate through 30 games.
The Capitals have found this success despite injury issues, which have been a common theme throughout the league this season. They remain without Pierre-Luc Dubois, who still has two or three months before he's expected to return. John Carlson has missed the last week. Ryan Leonard has missed a few, as has Charlie Lindgren. The team keeps fighting through, taking over the division.
Capitals to Watch
Jakob Chychrun: Starting with Carolina, Chychrun went on a 10-game point streak that saw him score seven goals and 13 points. He leads all NHL defensemen in goals (11) and is sixth among defensemen in scoring (25). He has slowed down a little, recording just two points in his last five games.
Dylan Strome: While a natural playmaker more than a goal scorer, Strome has scored a goal in back-to-back meetings with the Canes, including the breakaway goal that served as the game-winner in November. Over the last three seasons, Strome has two goals and 11 points in nine contests. Things have been a bit slow for him recently, too, with three points over his last nine games.
Hurricanes to Watch
Jordan Martinook: After scoring one into the empty net to close the scoring on Tuesday night, Martinook scored the team's fourth short-handed goal of the campaign. It gave Martinook just his second goal in the last 18 games, though he's finding the scoresheet more to set up his captain. He likes to score in bunches, so he might be due for another tonight.
Shayne Gostisbehere: In a game featuring a few high-scoring defensemen, Gostisbehere enters the contest with assists in four straight games. In each of the last three, his assist has come on the power play. With his recent stretch, Gostisbehere is now in the Top 10 in assists among defensemen, putting him one away from 20 for the season.