The Washington Capitals are geared up for a New Year’s Eve matinee against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, aiming to break out of a recent slump that has seen them secure only two wins in their last nine outings. This matchup is particularly significant as they look to avenge a disappointing 7-3 defeat to the Rangers on December 23.
Charlie Lindgren is slated to make his 12th start of the 2025-26 season, returning to the ice for the first time since a December 21 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, as confirmed by head coach Spencer Carbery. In his three appearances this month, Lindgren maintains a record of 1-1-1 with a goals-against average of 2.93 and a save percentage of .892.
Impressively, Lindgren has already faced the Rangers this season, achieving a remarkable 35-save shutout in their initial encounter in October. Over the course of his career, he has excelled against New York, boasting a 4-1 record in five starts, a 1.19 goals-against average, a .957 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Logan Thompson will be supporting Lindgren as the backup for Wednesday’s game. He faced a challenging outing against the Rangers last week, surrendering six goals on just 20 shots. Thompson has been a regular in December, starting 10 of the Capitals’ 13 games this month.
Additionally, defenseman Dylan McIlrath will dress for the fifth time this season, returning from a brief absence. He last played on December 7 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, logging 10:01 of ice time. Thus far, McIlrath has averaged 11:11 of ice time across his previous four games but is still searching for his first point of the season.
The Capitals’ projected lineup for the matchup against the Rangers includes Protas, Sourdif, Ovechkin, McMichael, Strome, Wilson, Beauvillier, Dowd, Leonard, Duhaime, Lapierre, Frank, Fehervary, Carlson, Chychrun, Roy, Sandin, McIlrath, Lindgren, and Thompson.
The Rangers come into this game after suffering consecutive losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders, and they currently sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division, trailing the Capitals by just two points. The Capitals occupy the first wild card playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
The puck drop at Capital One Arena is scheduled for 12:30 p.m., setting the stage for an exciting New Year’s Eve clash. With the competitive stakes high, both teams will be eager to finish the year on a positive note.