What you need to know ahead of the Kings' game against the Washington Capitals:
When: Sunday, December 22nd at 2:00 PST
Where: Capital One Arena - Washington, D.C.
Watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Listen: ESPN LA APP
Records:
Kings: 19 - 9 - 5 (43 points), 2nd in Pacific Division
Capitals: 22 - 8 - 2 (46 points), 2nd in Metropolitan Division
Kings Team Stats:
Power Play: 14.9% (28th)
Penalty Kill: 82.5% (8th)
Faceoff Win Percentage: 51.5% (12th)
GF/GP: 3.12 (12th)
GA/GP: 2.55 (1st)
Capitals Team Stats:
Power Play: 20.4% (18th)
Penalty Kill: 84.2% (6th)
Faceoff Win Percentage: 50.2% (18th)
GF/GP: 3.78 (2nd)
GA/GP: 2.63 (6th)
Kings Notes:
- Scoring his 11th even-strength goal of the campaign yesterday afternoon in Nashville, Alex Laferriere is one of 10 players in team history to have as many through the first 33 games to start a season before turning 24 years of age and is the first to do so since the 1980’s.
- Forward Kevin Fiala struck twice in the Kings’ last visit to D.C. on Jan. 7, 2024, and enters tonight’s contest with 11 points (4-7=11) in 14 career games against the Capitals.
- Anze Kopitar is set to play in his 1,407th regular season NHL game Sunday evening in D.C., tying long-time Capitals captain Dale Hunter (1,407 GP) for the 42nd-most in League history.
- Through 33 games played on the season, the LA Kings 2.55 goals-against-per game (GA/GP) is the lowest in the NHL.
- Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov looks to tie his career long four-game point streak set earlier this season (2-2=4; Nov. 4–9, 2024) as he enters tonight’s contest with five points (0-5=5) across his last three appearances.
Capitals Notes:
- The Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin (broken fibula) as the team announced that their captain will not return until after the holiday break. Despite the absence of Ovechkin, who led the NHL in goals with 15 at the time of his injury on November 18th, the Capitals have gone 9-4-1 without him.
- Now leading the Capitals in goals with 16, Connor McMichael is just two tally's shy of tying his previous career high of 18, set last season.
- Team leader in points Dylan Strome is having an outsanding season and the best one of his career. With 38 points (11-27=38) in 32 games, Strome is on pace for a 97-point season which would surpass his previous career high in points of 67 by 30 points.
- The Capitals are 3-0-1 in their last four home games, averaging 2.25 GAA during that time.
Players to Watch:
Kings: Having scored yesterday aternoon in Nashville, forward Quinton Byfield, who gets set for his third career outing at Capital One Arena with three goals and four points (3-1=4) in his past four games, dating back to last Saturday in New York. During the Kings’ 5-1 victory over the Rangers, Byfield (1-1=2) registered his 100th career point (31-69=100) with his feed on Warren Foegele’s game-winning tally.
Capitals: Pierre-Luc Dubois, who will see the Kings for the first time since being traded away to the Capitals over the summer. Dubois has 23 points (5-18=23) in 32 games this season with a +8 plus/minus.
