The Washington Capitals wrapped up their two-game homestand with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, extending their winning streak to four games.

While it wasn’t the most dominant performance, the Caps found a way to secure the win and will now head to California with momentum on their side.

It wasn’t an ideal start, as Washington struggled through the first period, failing to establish much of a presence.

They came out strong to begin the second but couldn’t sustain the pressure. However, when it mattered most, the Capitals found their rhythm in the third period, dominating the game at five-on-five.

They held a +10 shot attempt differential, created eight more scoring chances than Seattle, generated six additional high-danger chances, and finished with a +0.22 expected goals advantage.

Ovechkin Hits Another Milestone

Alex Ovechkin continued his climb up the NHL record books, reaching his 1,600th career point with his 886th career goal.

He became just the 11th player in league history to hit that mark and is now only nine goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record.

Additionally, his goal marked his 157th in the month of March, tying Gretzky’s record for the most in a single calendar month (Gretzky scored 157 in December).

Other Notable Performances

Several Capitals players hit significant milestones in the win:

• Martin Fehervary set a new single-season career high with 18 points.
• Connor McMichael recorded his 100th career point.
• Dylan Strome played in his 500th NHL game and scored his 19th goal of the season, completing his collection of goals against every NHL team, including the Capitals.
• Aliaksei Protas notched his 30th assist of the season, marking a personal best. He now has 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in his last 19 games and is on pace for 71 points this season. Among NHL players under 25, only Jack Hughes (27) and Cole Caufield (31) have more goals this year.

Charlie Lindgren Stands Tall

Goaltender Charlie Lindgren was a key factor in the victory, making 30 saves on 32 shots. According to MoneyPuck, he stopped 2.34 goals above expected, proving to be a crucial difference-maker.

Caps Keep Climbing the Standings

With this win, the Capitals (92 points) have already surpassed their total from last season (91 points) in 18 fewer games.

They now sit tied with the Winnipeg Jets for the most points in the NHL, holding a nine-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference and a 12-point cushion over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division.

As Washington embarks on their West Coast road trip, they’ll look to keep this winning momentum going while working on cleaning up their slow starts.

If they can do that, they’ll remain a serious contender in the playoff race.

The Colorado Avalanche traded for forward Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders, both teams confirmed.

This deal was announced late Thursday. The Islanders sent defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2028 conditional third-round pick to the Avalanche in exchange for Nelson and forward William Dufour.

Soon after, the Islanders traded Kylington to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. Nelson, 33, has scored 20 goals and 23 assists in 61 games this season for the Islanders.

Avalanche and Islanders Player Trades and Stats Update

Brock Nelson leads the Islanders with 43 points, tied with Anders Lee. He was selected 30th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. Over 12 seasons, Nelson has accumulated 295 goals and 279 assists for 574 points.

William Dufour, 23, earned 18 points with the Bridgeport Islanders this season and made one appearance with the parent team.

Oliver Kylington, traded to the Avalanche, scored 1 goal and 3 assists in 13 games. Calum Ritchie, the No. 27 pick in 2023, scored once in recent appearances.

Avalanche Snag Brock Nelson in Trade

On March 7, the Colorado Avalanche traded for forward Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders.

The deal, announced late Thursday, sent defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a 2026 first-round draft pick, and a conditional third-round pick in 2028 to the Avalanche in exchange for Nelson and forward William Dufour.

After the trade, Kylington was moved to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. Nelson, 33, has scored 20 goals and 23 assists in 61 games, tying Anders Lee with 43 points for the Islanders.

Avalanche Clinch Brock Nelson in Midnight Trade with Islanders

March 7 (UPI) – The Colorado Avalanche have secured forward Brock Nelson in a deal with the New York Islanders, the teams announced just before midnight Thursday.

In the trade, the Islanders sent defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft to the Avalanche in exchange for Nelson and forward William Dufour.

Shortly after the deal, the Islanders flipped Kylington in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, with the Ducks providing the Islanders future considerations in that transaction.

Nelson, 33, posted 20 goals and 23 assists over 61 games this season for the Islanders, tying with forward Anders Lee at 43 points the highest on the team.

A 2022-23 All-Star, he joined the Islanders as the “No. 30 overall pick” in the 2010 NHL Draft, and over 12 seasons with the franchise he recorded 295 goals and 279 assists for a total of 574 points.

Forward William Dufour, 23, accumulated 18 points in 45 appearances this season while playing for the Bridgeport Islanders, the AHL affiliate.

He made one appearance for the Islanders during the 2022-23 season.

Meanwhile, Kylington, who inked a one-year deal with the Avalanche in August, registered one goal and three assists in 13 games this season for Colorado.

Previously with the Calgary Flames, the 27-year-old tallied 17 goals and 38 assists in 201 appearances during his first six seasons and reached a career-high 22 assists in 2021-22.

Additionally, forward Calum Ritchie, 20, was selected as the “No. 27 overall pick” by the Avalanche in the 2023 NHL Draft and has scored once in seven appearances this season.

The Islanders (28-26-7) are set to face the San Jose Sharks at 10 p.m. EST Saturday in San Jose, Calif., while the Avalanche (37-24-2) will host the Toronto Maple Leafs (38-21-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday in Denver.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have a new coach, fresh faces in the lineup, and a renewed sense of confidence compared to previous seasons.

Yet, despite their insistence that history won’t repeat itself, they find themselves in a familiar situation.

Their 4-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday extended their losing streak to four games, raising questions about their playoff push.

At 30-26-6 (66 points), the Red Wings sit just one point outside the second wild-card spot. However, with seven teams battling for two postseason berths, their path won’t be easy especially considering they have one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league.

Thirteen of their final 20 games are on the road, including a critical matchup against Washington on Friday night (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network), a team currently tied for first place.

With the NHL trade deadline looming at 3 p.m. Friday, general manager Steve Yzerman faces a tough decision.

The Red Wings could use reinforcements particularly a second-line center and a defenseman but is it worth giving up valuable assets, such as high draft picks or promising prospects, for a short-term boost?

McLellan: Losing Streak Won’t Change Deadline Plans

Despite the team’s recent struggles, head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t believe this skid will influence the front office’s approach to the deadline.

“It’s not just a short-term look and it’s not just a long-term look,” McLellan said. “It’s looking at the group as a whole and can we find players that fit our team better? Can we find players that will make us better now? Can we find players that will help us with chemistry? That’s all talked about all the time. So, (the slide) doesn’t necessarily change the approach, in my opinion.”

The Red Wings have been in this position before. Last year, they were on the playoff bubble before two crushing losses in Ottawa led Yzerman to trade Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek for first-round picks just days before the deadline. In 2022, they endured a seven-game losing streak around the deadline, yet Yzerman opted to stand pat. Detroit ultimately missed the playoffs, despite having an eight-point cushion in the race.

McLellan, however, remains focused on the present.

“I don’t know the past. I only know the past few months,” he said. “And I can tell you the group genuinely cares. I’ve been around teams where they just don’t believe they care. Sometimes I think they care too much and they tighten up and they’re afraid to swing the bat, if you will, which isn’t a bad thing because they’re into it. There’s passion on the bench. There’s a lot of self-frustration that comes out. I’m not sure that’s always a good thing.”

While the team’s struggles mirror past seasons, McLellan believes this group is different.

“I like to think that we’ve learned from the past. We’re mentally stronger. And if you’re going to go back two years, the team is significantly different now than it was then and including last year. I think we’re our own group and we’re going to write our own story.”

A Resilient Group Determined to Keep Fighting

Detroit’s season has already featured a dramatic turnaround. On December 29, they were dead last in the Eastern Conference before an incredible 15-3-1 run put them right back in the playoff picture.

Despite their recent struggles, captain Dylan Larkin believes the team has shown enough fight to warrant a continued playoff push.

“We talked about it as a group yesterday, how far we’ve come and how we didn’t really see ourselves in this position, but we put the work in and we got ourselves here,” Larkin said. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow. But I feel we’ve made a case to continue to push this thing and keep playing for the playoffs and try to get in.”

With the trade deadline hours away, all eyes are on Yzerman and the Red Wings. Will they make a move to strengthen their roster, or will they stay the course and bet on their current group? One thing is certain Detroit’s fight for a playoff spot is far from over.