Schedule / Matchup Preview

New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview @ Capitals · FRI · OCT 9 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
FRI · OCT 9 · 6:00 PM CT
Capital One Arena
MSG · NHLN · MNMT
New York Rangers
Rangers
2–1–0
@
Washington Capitals
Capitals
1–1–0
Upcoming
FRI · OCT 9 · 6:00 PM CT
MSG · NHLN · MNMT
New York Rangers
Away · Rangers
2–1–0
4 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
The Rangers have found Logan Thompson beatable: .863 on 139 shots. But Alex Ovechkin has solved Igor Shesterkin before, 5 goals on 49 shots.
Capital One Arena
Washington Capitals
Home · Capitals
1–1–0
2 PTS
Rangers
GOALIES
Capitals
Igor Shesterkin
Igor Shesterkin
Likely · 25267-igor-shesterkin
.935 SV% · 1.51 GAA · 1W
.922 SV% L5 · Locked in
VS
Logan Thompson
Logan Thompson
Expected
.939 SV% · 2.00 GAA · 1W
.923 SV% L5 · Locked in
Rangers
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Capitals
L1
Gabriel Perreault · Mika Zibanejad · Alexis Lafrenière
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Tye Kartye · J.T. Miller · Pavel Dorofeyev
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Will Cuylle · Noah Laba · Eeli Tolvanen
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Oliver Bjorkstrand · Joe Veleno · Jaroslav Chmelar
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Vladislav Gavrikov · Adam Fox
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Marcus Pettersson · Sean Durzi
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Alberts Smits · Braden Schneider
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
Alexis Lafrenière · J.T. Miller · Pavel Dorofeyev · Mika Zibanejad · Adam Fox
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Oliver Bjorkstrand · Will Cuylle · Gabriel Perreault · Eeli Tolvanen · Sean Durzi
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Joe Veleno · Tye Kartye · Marcus Pettersson · Adam Fox
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Mika Zibanejad · Will Cuylle · Vladislav Gavrikov · Sean Durzi
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
RangersProjected lines
L1
Gabriel Perreault · Mika Zibanejad · Alexis Lafrenière
L2
Tye Kartye · J.T. Miller · Pavel Dorofeyev
L3
Will Cuylle · Noah Laba · Eeli Tolvanen
L4
Oliver Bjorkstrand · Joe Veleno · Jaroslav Chmelar
D1
Vladislav Gavrikov · Adam Fox
D2
Marcus Pettersson · Sean Durzi
D3
Alberts Smits · Braden Schneider
PP1
Alexis Lafrenière · J.T. Miller · Pavel Dorofeyev · Mika Zibanejad · Adam Fox
PP2
Oliver Bjorkstrand · Will Cuylle · Gabriel Perreault · Eeli Tolvanen · Sean Durzi
PK1
Joe Veleno · Tye Kartye · Marcus Pettersson · Adam Fox
PK2
Mika Zibanejad · Will Cuylle · Vladislav Gavrikov · Sean Durzi
CapitalsProjected lines
L1
Alex Tuch · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Tom Wilson
L2
Alex Ovechkin · Dylan Strome · Ryan Leonard
L3
Aliaksei Protas · Ilya Protas · Jordan Kyrou
L4
Boone Jenner · Justin Sourdif · Anthony Beauvillier
D1
Jakob Chychrun · Matt Roy
D2
Cole Hutson · Vincent Desharnais
D3
Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
PP1
Tom Wilson · Dylan Strome · Pierre-Luc Dubois · Alex Ovechkin · Jakob Chychrun
PP2
Alex Tuch · Ilya Protas · Ryan Leonard · Cole Hutson · Jordan Kyrou
PK1
Aliaksei Protas · Tom Wilson · Vincent Desharnais · Matt Roy
PK2
Boone Jenner · Alex Tuch · Martin Fehervary · Timothy Liljegren
Peter Baugh · Oct 4 · 9:20 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
Rangers
INJURY REPORT
Capitals
Joonas Korpisalo
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 9
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Aidan Thompson
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 11
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Adam Sykora
IR · Lower body · Expected back Jan 25
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
RangersInjury report
Joonas Korpisalo
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 9
Aidan Thompson
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 11
Adam Sykora
IR · Lower body · Expected back Jan 25
CapitalsInjury report
Matt Roy
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Patrick Thomas
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 24
Rasmus Sandin
IR · Right knee (surgery) · Expected back Dec 26
Peter Baugh · Oct 4 · 9:20 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:10 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Rangers have won 2 straight and are 2-1-0 in their first 3 games. The Capitals lost their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

The Rangers have found Logan Thompson beatable: .863 on 139 shots. But Alex Ovechkin has solved Igor Shesterkin before, 5 goals on 49 shots.

Will Cuylle has quietly owned this matchup, 6 points in the last 4 meetings.

The numbers behind it
Goaltending
Logan Thompson has struggled against New York — a .863 save % on 139 shots.
.863 SV% vs NYR
Matchup
Taylor Raddysh has 5 goals on Logan Thompson (17 shots).
(New York)
5 goals on Logan Thompson
Matchup
Alex Ovechkin has 5 goals on Igor Shesterkin (49 shots).
(Washington)
5 goals on Igor Shesterkin
Player
Will Cuylle has 6 points in his last 4 games against Washington. See the games →
(New York)
6 pts, last 4 vs WSH
Player
Mika Zibanejad has 6 points in his last 4 games against Washington. See the games →
(New York)
6 pts, last 4 vs WSH