Opinion
3 min read

Capitals Set to Lock Horns with Senators in Capital One Arena Duel

As the Washington Capitals gear up for their next challenge at the Capital One Arena, fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be a riveting encounter against the Ottawa Senators. The Capitals, coming off a mixed bag of recent performances, have shown both resilience and areas needing improvement that could play a pivotal role in their upcoming game.


Feb 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas (21) scores a goal on Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

In their last outing on March 31st against the Boston Bruins, the Capitals displayed formidable powerplay prowess. Despite falling short in a shootout with a final score of 3-2, they managed to convert one out of four powerplay opportunities and held strong at even strength. Their goaltending was also noteworthy; saving all but two of the 29 shots faced reflects reliability between the pipes that could thwart Ottawa's scoring attempts.


However, it wasn't all smooth skating for WSH. A concerning statistic from that game was their giveaway count: an uncharacteristic total of 13 giveaways could signal potential vulnerabilities if not addressed promptly. On top of that, faceoff performance was nearly even – winning just over half (51 percent) – which leaves room for dominance at the dot come game time against OTT.


Feb 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) skates in on Ottawa Senators goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) as Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (72) defends in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Looking back further to March 28th when WSH faced off against Toronto Maple Leafs on enemy ice, there were glaring issues as they succumbed to a heavy defeat with five goals conceded and only one scored in return. The Capitals' shooting percentage sat low at four percent compared to Toronto's ten percent; this indicates an area where Washington must capitalize more effectively on scoring chances.


On March 26th versus Detroit Red Wings though, WSH showed what they're capable of when firing on all cylinders – securing victory with an impressive shooting percentage of thirteen percent and overcoming faceoff struggles by netting four goals at even strength.


Feb 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (38) shoots the puck against the Ottawa Senators in the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Senators will not make it easy for them though. They've been known for their aggressive gameplay and will certainly look to exploit any weakness shown by WSH's defense or goaltending units.


With these insights in mind, fans should expect Washington Capitals' coaching staff to have honed strategies around puck possession and shot conversion while reinforcing defensive responsibilities ahead of this clash.


The scheduled date is April 7th; puck drop is set for 6:00 PM EDT at Capital One Arena. Fans can catch every moment live on ESPN+ via internet streaming or tune into MNMT television broadcasts for full coverage as these two teams battle it out on ice.

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