Welcome to the holiday season, where the start times are wacky. Today, your presence is required for the first of back-to-back matinee games this weekend against the Detroit Red Wings.
After spending years in the basement as the Yzerplan took form, the Red Wings are shockingly leading the Atlantic Division through 35 games. The lineup is top-heavy forward-wise — with Alex DeBrincat (20g, 19a), Lucas Raymond (10g, 27a), and Dylan Larkin (17g, 16a) all with 30-plus points early this season — and their goaltending has been suspect with Cam Talbot and John Gibson with under .900 save percentages. That may explain why their goal differential is -8, suggesting there are problems under the hood here.
Today, Spencer Carbery will give Ivan Miroshnichenko his Capitals’ season debut after being recalled from the Hershey Bears on Friday. The team was forced to do so because Ryan Leonard is nearing a return during the holiday break and the team would not have been able to send Bogdan Trineyev back down during that time.
How the NHL holiday roster freeze led Capitals to recall Ivan Miroshnichenko
Logan Thompson will start again for the Capitals and oppose John Gibson in net.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 12:30 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
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More Info
Lines
Washington Capitals
Ovechkin
Strome
Beauvillier
Detroit Red Wings
Soderblom
Danielson
Kasper
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Santa Claus sung the national anthem today. It was definitely not Bob McDonald.
Puck is dropped.
The Red Wings’ moms are here. It’s not yet know if Alex Ovechkin took a photo with them yet.
Ryan Leonard’s brother, John, scores 65 seconds into the game.
🚨
1-0 Detroit Red Wings
Goal: John Leonard (1). Assists: S. Edvinsson (7), A. Copp (14). Time: 1:05
Capitals go to their first power play after Dylan Larkin holds Aliaksei Protas along the boards at 3:04.
Nothing’s going for the Caps power play.
The Red Wings are dominating the Capitals at five-on-five. Capitals look sleepy today.
Ivan Miroshnichenko’s details and competitiveness along the boards have noticeably improved.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) December 20, 2025
Carlson hooks Larkin at 16:15.
Thompson with a big save at the far post.
Capitals kill the power play. WSH is currently being outshot 17-3.
Capitals second line showing some life at the end of the buzzer here.
At intermission: A big yikes. The Red Wings lead 1-0. They’re leading in shots on goal 17-6 and five-on-five attempts 29 to 9.
Intermission time!
A cute little ice resurfacer going to side to side like Scooby Doo
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