Opponent Track: The Philadelphia Flyers\u2019 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night didn\u2019t just help the Pens clinch home ice advantage\u2014 it also kept the Capitals\u2019 hopes of sneaking into the third spot in the Metro alive. The Caps have a path to the postseason if they can win out their final three games, starting with this back-to-back set against the Pens, as long as the Flyers, New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets keep losing. If the Caps lose today to the Penguins, however, their playoff odds drop to next to nothing. Per MoneyPuck<\/a>:<\/p>\n Season Series: The Penguins blew an early three-goal lead with Arturs Silovs in net, but rallied with a late power-play goal from Bryan Rust to secure a 5-3 win over the Caps in these teams\u2019 last meeting in Pittsburgh on Nov. 6.<\/p>\n Hidden Stat: This game is set to mark the 75th time Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have played one another, according to Penguins PR. Crosby and the Penguins have gone 43-27-4 in those previous 74 matchups.<\/p>\n Hidden Stat II: This weekend could potentially mark the end of an era that has shaped both franchises. The Ovechkin\/Crosby era has last for just over 40 percent of the Capitals\u2019 franchise history and more than a third of the Penguins\u2019 history (h\/t WashingtonCaps.com\u2019s Mike Vogel<\/a>).<\/p>\n Getting to know the Capitals<\/p>\n Alex Ovechkin – Dylan Strome – Anthony Beauvillier<\/p>\n Aliaksei Protas – Ilya Protas – Tom Wilson<\/p>\n Connor McMichael – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Ryan Leonard<\/p>\n Brandon Duhaime – Justin Sourdif – Ivan Miroshnichenko<\/p>\n Martin Fehervary \/ Rasmus Sandin<\/p>\n Jakub Chychrun \/ Trevor van Riemsdyk<\/p>\n Goalies: Logan Thompson, Mitchell Gibson<\/p>\n Potential scratches: Hendrix Lapierre, Ethen Frank, David Kampf, Declan Chisholm, Dylan McIlrath, Timothy Liljegren, Charlie Lindgren (upper body)<\/p>\n Ilya Protas, the 19-year-0ld brother of Caps winger Aliaksei Protas, made his NHL debut on Wednesday. The Capitals are currently running both brothers, who each measure in at 6\u20196\u201d on either side of Tom Wilson (6\u20194\u201d). The trio weighs more than 300 pounds combined.Ilya Protas isn\u2019t the only young Capital making his NHL debut down the stretch. Nineteen-year-old defenseman Cole Hutson has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 11 games since making his NHL debut in March.Goaltender Charlie Lindgren was a full participant in practice Friday and is traveling with his team to Pittsburgh, Caps coach Spencer Carbery told reporters. Logan Thompson, who most recently backstopped the Caps to a 4-0 shutout of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is likely to get the start today in Pittsburgh, but having Lindgren back for Sunday could determine who starts the latter half of the back-to-back. Egor Chinakhov – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust<\/p>\n Tommy Novak – Rickard Rakell – Evgeni Malkin<\/p>\n Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau<\/p>\n Elmer Soderblom – Noel Acciari – Avery Hayes<\/p>\n Parker Wotherspoon \/ Erik Karlsson<\/p>\n Ryan Shea \/ Connor Clifton<\/p>\n Goalies: Stuart Skinner, Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov<\/p>\n Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany, Connor Dewar (day-to-day)<\/p>\n IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-11-at-2.49.55AM.png\"\/)
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<\/a>Tom Wilson is one goal shy of hitting the 30-goal plateau for the second time in the NHL career. Ovechkin already hit that mark in 75 games to mark his NHL-record<\/a> 20th season with at least 30 goals.Is this Ovechkin\u2019s last game in Pittsburgh? The Washington captain recently announced<\/a> he won\u2019t be deciding whether to return for another NHL season until after the Caps\u2019 run this season is over. How soon fans find out could depend at list in part on whether the Pens are able to play spoilers for the Capitals\u2019 playoff chances today at PPG Paints. The Caps are at the very least honoring his last home game of the season by giving out special rally towels<\/a> to fans in attendance on Sunday in D.C.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/platform.pensburgh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/123\/2026\/04\/fd2jo3palvz96llnu9j5.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400\"\/)
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