Merry Capsmas, friends.
Tonight, the Washington Capitals will play their final game before a three-day Christmas break against the New York Rangers – a team that is horrendous at home (5-10-3) and almost unbeatable away from Madison Square Garden (13-6-1). If you want me to explain that, I can’t. Weird flex.
The Capitals will be without Tom Wilson (sick) and Rasmus Sandin (upper-body injury). Ryan Leonard is back, though, taking Ivan Miroshnichenko’s spot on the NHL roster.
Logan Thompson will return to the twine and oppose Igor Shesterkin.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will have the call on Monumental Sports Network 2 — The Dos.
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Lines
Washington Capitals
McMichael
Sourdif
Ovechkin
New York Rangers
Panarin
Zibanejad
Lafreniere
Perreault
Trocheck
Cuylle
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Protas-Strome-Leonard and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
Horrible turnover seconds in by the Caps in front of the net (Fehervary/Carlson). Alexis Lafrenière dekes Logan Thompson out of position, but rings his point-blank range shot off the post.
Capitals have the first 5 shots on goal. Rangers not generating anything.
Ryan Leonard (#9) takes a four-minute double minor on Jonny Brodzinski at 7:49. Leonard missed with his stick check and clipped Brodzinski in the nose, bloodying him. Caps have killed 30 of their last 34 power plays they’ve faced.
We were THIS close to a Trevor van Riemsdyk shorty after some great work by Aliaksei Protas getting the puck into the zone.
Caps kill the penalty. Capital One Arena is very loud tonight.
Rangers connect on a three-on-two break and oh hey – former Capital Taylor Raddysh scores! Perfect. Right after a completely unnecessary tribute video, too.
🚨
1-0 New York Rangers
Goal: Taylor Raddysh (6). Assists: J. Brodzinski (4), B. Schneider (6). Time: 14:57
At intermission: The Rangers lead 1-0. The Capitals lead in shots on goal 6 to 5.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
The sea parts and Carlson walks into the slot and scores. Great shot and all but how does NYR not guard Carly at all there.
🚨
1-1 tie
Goal: John Carlson (8). Assists: A. Protas (11), R. Leonard (12). Time: 0:23
Carlson with another opportunity, just missing on a one-timer attempt.
Ryan Leonard has himself a breakaway after deking a Rangers defenseman to the ice, but he’s tripped to the ice as he tries to backhand the puck home. He seems to be hurting a little. Matthew Robertson is to the box for slashing at 3:57. The Capitals are going to their first power play.
Ryan Leonard dekes Rangers defender out of his skates, springing himself on breakaway
Sourdif, who for some reason is on the second power-play unit (he has fewer points than Matt Roy), just passed the puck out of the zone.
Ovechkin misses from the slot. Ovechkin misses the net on a one-timer. Ovechkin has a one-timer blocked.
Sourdif, who is set up in front of the net, misses a wide-open chance.
Capitals back to the power play after Carson Soucy holds Nic Dowd at 8:29.
Shesterkin saves a Leonard tip. Strome has a wide open net and Shesterkin somehow makes the save with his glove. Officials are reviewing at 8:40 to see if Shesterkin’s glove crossed the goal line.
OFficials rule that’s a goal. I personally did not see that cross the goal line, I may need to look closer at some more replays, stunned that maybe at best a 50/50 play that’s ruled no goal is a goal.
🚨
2-1 Washington Capitals
PPG: Dylan Strome (7). Assists: C. McMichael (14), R. Leonard (13). Time: 8:40
Okay, this look is definitely definitive.
Connor McMichael to the box for tripping Vincent Trocheck (he dived) at 10:54.
Zibanejad finds Cuylle on the doorstep with an incredible pass. And we’re tied again.
🚨
2-2 tie
PPG: Will Cuylle (10). Assists: M. Zibanejad (16), V. Trocheck (12). Time: 11:14
57 seconds later, the Capitals take the lead back. What an incredible play by Sonny Milano to shoot it into Igor Shesterkin’s pads and find Aliaksei Protas for a rebound goal. Protas has goals in 3 of his last 4.
🚨
3-2 Washington Capitals
Goal: Aliaksei Protas (13). Assists: S. Milano (3), H. Lapierre (6). Time: 12:11
At intermission: What a period! Caps lead 3-2 and lead in shots on goal 20 to 10.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped
Panarin nearly scores on his first shift, but Logan Thompson goes to the splits to make a huge glove save.
Soucy takes a huge hit from Alex Ovechkin at the corner boards.
Ovechkin then takes a cross-checking penalty at 2:27 of the third.
Capitals kill the penalty.
Raddysh’s shot hits off Roy, bounces off the post, and goes in. lkadsflkadsjflkads
🚨
3-3 New York Rangers
Goal: Taylor Raddysh (7). Assists: W. Cuylle (12), N. Laba (7). Time: 8:10
What an insane deflection by Lafreniere. Off an Artemi Panarin point shot.
🚨
4-3 New York Rangers
Goal: Alexis Lafrenière (8). Assists: A. Panarin (24), S. Morrow (3). Time: 9:18
Ovi is yelling at himself skating back to the bench.
Trocheck scores in front of the net. This one appears close to be over.
🚨
5-3 New York Rangers
Goal: Vincent Trocheck (7). Assists: J. Brodzinski (5), G. Perreault (3). Time: 13:43
Logan Thompson is off the ice for an extra attacker around the four minute mark.
Sigh. Touchdown, Rangers.
🚨
6-3 New York Rangers
ENG: Artemi Panarin (14). Assists: M. Zibanejad (17), A. Lafrenière (12). Time: 17:44
And the extra point is good.
🚨
7-3 New York Rangers
Goal: Vincent Trocheck (8). Assists: W. Cuylle (13). Time: 18:09
Maddening.
Caps lose 7-3.
An absolutely catastrophic Christmastime collapse : Rangers beat Capitals 7-3
NOT SO FUN FACT.
The Capitals have lost 10 of their last 21 games with Justin Sourdif in the top six.
He has 8 pts (1g, 7a) during that stretch while skating with some of the best five-on-five players in the NHL.
Great analytics, but he’s hurting the team playing so high in the lineup.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) December 24, 2025
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