Game information/links
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Game preview
After winning their first two games out of the Olympic break, the Washington Capitals were humbled by the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 on Saturday. Now the Caps will take on the young, upstart Utah Mammoth, who are visiting Capital One Arena for the only time this season.
The Mammoth currently sit in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference with a 31-25-4 record. They are led in goals by Dylan Guenther (27) and in points by Clayton Keller (58). Utah has a well-balanced attack as seven different players have already reached double digits in goals this season, including Guenter (27), Nick Schmaltz (23), JJ Peterka (20), Keller (18), Lawson Crouse (16), Logan Cooley (15), and Michael Carcone (11). Mikhail Sergachev and Kailer Yamamoto both have nine goals as well.
“They are a handful,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said per Mike Vogel. “The usual with [Nick] Schmaltz and Clayton Keller, who’ve been there for a long time. And they sort of have that [Jack] McBain; [Lawson] Krause plays with them, but that physical, net front puck retrieval player on those top two lines with those two guys that I mentioned, McBain with [Dylan] Guenther and [Logan] Cooley, and so they’re a handful. Shots, ability to skate, and Cooley a little bit more with puck possession in the offensive zone. He’s going to try to break you down and Guenther with his shot, as elite as there is in the League right now. And they’ve get [JJ] Peterka, too. I think he gets lost in the shuffle with how much skill they have up front, but it’s going to be a good test.
“They’re a really good hockey team, a skating team, so you’re going to have to move your feet. We’re going to have to be constantly moving because this team, to me, is built on speed and skill and and that’s their bread and butter. We’re going to have to be able to move our feet. It’s not that we have to play the same type of game, but you just have to be ready to turn over and skate tonight and stay up to their pace and their level of pace. And then if we can control some shifts and slow them down, and now we occupy [their zone].Puck possession will be the key for us tonight.”
Karel Vejmelka has received a bulk of the action in goal for the Mammoth, posting a 28-16-2 record in 47 starts along with a 2.63 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. His 11.0 goals saved above expected rank 11th overall in the NHL.
The game is the first of a five-game road trip for the Mammoth that will also see them play the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, and the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Their last game was a 4-0 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, after which they jetted to the East Coast.
The Capitals will once again be without John Carlson due to a lower-body injury. Dylan McIlrath will dress in his place. Logan Thompson will get back in net after Charlie Lindgren took the loss against the Montreal Canadiens. The Capitals currently sit two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Bruins have three games in hand.
Tonight’s game is the Capitals’ final one before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday where it remains to be seen how aggressive they will be to improve the team short term. Trevor van Riemsdyk is rumored to be on his way out to make room for Cole Hutson.
Scouts from the Hurricanes, Blues, and Avalanche are in the building this evening. Colorado’s scout is a familiar face in DC—former Cap Keith Aucoin.
— Katie Adler (@katieEadler) March 4, 2026
We’ll have more updates in the lead-up to the game. Happy birthday, Alexa Landestoy!!
Lines
Washington Capitals
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Tonight is Military Night. Bob McDonald and Caleb Green both sung the national anthem ahead of the game.
Puck is dropped. Sourdif-Dubois-Wilson and Fehervary-Sandin get the start. It’s Thompson vs. Vejmelka in goal.
Fehervary gets the first shot on goal, jumping into the play and putting a backhanded shot on goal that’s turned away by Vejmelka.
Logan Thompson robs JJ Peterka wide open down low after a breakdown in coverage. Peterka also got his own rebound but was stopped by Thompson.
Anthony Beauvillier is hurting after blocking a shot with his leg — somewhere in the knee or thigh, perhaps? The Capitals ice the puck so he can get off. He immediately went down the runway to the locker room.
Utah has been dominating possession so far and has five of the first seven shots on goal.
“We’re having a difficult time managing their speed,” Patrick Wellar tells Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken during the period.
Mad after his last shift, Tom Wilson goes for a huge hit along the sideboards and Dylan Guether is left open in the middle of the ice. He scores.
🚨
1-0 Utah Mammoth
Goal: Dylan Guenther (28). Assists: C. Keller (41), N. Schmaltz (33). Time: 11:12
Utah is leading in shot attempts 21 to 4. Yikes.
🦓
Penalty kill
Alex Ovechkin hooking penalty (2 minutes) at 12:29
Sergachev from the point after a great screen by Hayton. That noise you hear is the Capitals’ playoff chances further evaporating.
🚨
2-0 Utah Mammoth
PPG: Mikhail Sergachev (10). Assists: C. Keller (42), D. Guenther (23). Time: 13:23
Ryan Leonard draws a penalty after some hustle and hard work behind the goal.
🔋
Power play
Alexander Kerfoot holding the stick penalty (2 minutes) at 17:28
🚨
2-1 Utah Mammoth
PPG: Pierre-Luc Dubois (4). Assists: R. Sandin (19). Time: 19:27
Pierre Luc-Dubois now has 4 goals in his last 5 games after scoring against the Utah Mammoth.
FREE NUGGS.
At intermission: The Capitals are down 2-1 to the Mammoth. Utah leads in shots 9-6 and in 5v5 attempts 25-8.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Joe B reveals why Aliaksei Protas missed the game. His wife is pregnant with their second child and on baby watch.
Joe Beninati says during the telecast that Aliaksei Protas is on baby watch and that’s why he didn’t play.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 4, 2026
Vejmelka with a big save on Hendrix Lapierre at 6:18 of the period.
Jakob Chychrun with consecutive big chances, but he can’t score.
🦓
Penalty kill
Jakob Chychrun tripping penalty (2 minutes) at 16:44
Tough goal to give up at the end of the period.
🚨
3-1 Utah Mammoth
PPG: JJ Peterka (21). Assists: L. Cooley (11), S. Durzi (16). Time: 18:24
At intermission: The Capitals trail 3-1. They played better in the second period, but scored no goals. Shots are 17-13 Utah.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Capitals are playing with urgency. Where has this been all game? Naturally they’re dominating.
Tom Wilson draws a penalty jumping into the play down the right wing.
🔋
Power play
Jack McBain hooking penalty (2 minutes) at 6:02
Play Free Bird. Ryan Leonard ends his goalless streak at 14 games.
🚨
3-2 Utah Mammoth
PPG: Ryan Leonard (11). Assists: D. Strome (33), J. Chychrun (27). Time: 6:31
Ryan Leonard is ailing big time after a shot block on his next shift.
Capitals continuing to tilt the ice on almost every shift. They are playing very desperate (where has this been????).
Huge scrum in front of the net. Sergachev and Leonard throwing gloved punches at each other after Leonard is fighting hard for a loose puck just outside the crease. Again where has this tenacity been? Why did they not play with this urgency in the opening 40 minutes?
Logan Thompson pulled for an extra attacker with 2:10 remaining.
Ovi huge shot. Rebound. Wilson gets the loose puck and throws a blind pass to Dubois at the other side — Vejmelka just slides over in time to stop his shot.
Timeout Washington with 48.2 remaining.
Caps lose 3-2 to Utah. That’s a tough one.
Mammoth beat Caps 3-2 in final pre-deadline game
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