Exciting news for hockey fans! The Washington Capitals are kicking off the first of two games during their annual Mentors’ Trip, facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks at the iconic United Center. With an impressive lineup of family members, including dads, in attendance, the Capitals will be up against a revitalized Blackhawks squad that has been on a winning streak, boasting four consecutive victories. Fans will also be thrilled to witness the much-anticipated return of Connor Bedard, who has been sidelined for the last twelve games due to an upper-body injury—a comeback that many have eagerly awaited (for more details, visit this link: https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2026/01/09/connor-bedard-injury-return-blackhawks-capitals-nhl/).
On the other hand, the Capitals are welcoming back Aliaksei Protas after a brief absence of three games (details available at https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2026/01/09/aliaksei-protas-game-time-decision-declan-chisholm-capitals-blackhawks/), while Tom Wilson is still out due to his ongoing injury. In addition, Declan Chisholm will step into the lineup for Dylan McIlrath, and Logan Thompson is set to guard the goal.
However, the Blackhawks are dealing with an unfortunate bout of flu affecting several players, leading to Rockford IceHogs' goaltender Drew Commesso stepping in as the starting goalie with both regular netminders unable to play.
Make sure to tune in for the puck drop scheduled shortly after 8 pm, with Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin providing live commentary on Monumental Sports Network 2.
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Team Lineups:
Washington Capitals
- Protas
- Strome
- Ovechkin
- McMichael
- Sourdif
- Leonard
- Duhaime
- Dowd
- Beauvillier
- Frank
- Lapierre
- Leason
- Fehervary
- Carlson
- Chychrun
- Roy
- Sandin
- Chisholm
- Thompson
- Lindgren
Chicago Blackhawks
- Bertuzzi
- Greene
- Burakovsky
- Bedard
- Moore
- Lardis
- Teravainen
- Dickinson
- Donato
- Dach
- Foligno
- Slaggert
- Vlasic
- Murphy
- Kaiser
- Levshunov
- Korchinski
- Grzelcyk
- Commesso
- Nozzolillo
Game Highlights - 1st Period:
The game begins with the puck drop, and the starting line for the Capitals includes Beauvillier, Dowd, Frank, alongside Fehervary and Carlson on defense.
Declan Chisholm nearly makes a spectacular play as he maneuvers into a semi-breakaway but gets hindered by a hook, preventing a solid shot attempt.
In a stunning play, Martin Fehervary pretends to shoot, then delivers an exceptional indirect pass to Anthony Beauvillier, who deftly redirects it for a goal. Credit goes to Ethen Frank for causing a distracting commotion in front of the net, effectively screening Commesso.
🚨 Score Update: 1-0 in favor of the Washington Capitals
Goal: Anthony Beauvillier (9)
Assists: M. Fehérváry (12), J. Carlson (24)
Time: 4:03
Despite only managing two shots on goal within the first seven minutes, the Capitals capitalize on their chances.
Justin Sourdif heads to the penalty box at 8:33 for slashing, granting the Blackhawks their first power play opportunity. Teuvo Teräväinen receives a pass from behind the net but is stopped by Thompson, and later, he misses another chance after receiving a cross-crease pass from Tyler Bertuzzi. Following a delay of game penalty from Fehervary, the Blackhawks find themselves with a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:15.
Thompson makes a crucial save against Bedard, and amidst a scramble in the crease, the Capitals manage to clear the puck successfully.
The Capitals hold strong, killing off the lengthy Blackhawks power play—an impressive defensive effort.
The Blackhawks dominate the shot count early, registering 8 of the first 10 shots within 14 minutes, while the Capitals have only two attempts.
Then, in a brilliant breakaway moment, Connor McMichael scores through the five-hole.
🚨 Score Update: 2-0 Washington Capitals
Goal: Connor McMichael (6)
Assists: R. Leonard (17)
Time: 15:07
Check out another angle of McMichael’s goal—it was a beauty!
Ethen Frank makes his presence felt again, scoring tightly against Commesso.
🚨 Score Update: 3-0 Washington Capitals
Goal: Ethen Frank (7)
Assists: J. Carlson (25), N. Dowd (9)
Time: 18:54
At the end of the first intermission, even though the Capitals only registered six shots on goal in the period, they impressively scored on half of them.
2nd Period:
As the second period begins, the puck is dropped once more.
Ryan Green heads to the box for hooking Justin Sourdif at 1:14, followed by Brandon Duhaime getting penalized for cross-checking Nick Lardis at 6:51.
Oliver Moore, drafted in the first round by Chicago, nets a brilliant shot, sliding the puck into the top corner through a tiny opening.
🚨 Score Update: 3-1 Washington Capitals
Power Play Goal: Oliver Moore (5)
Assists: M. Grzelcyk (11), N. Lardis (1)
Time: 8:48
McMichael seems to score again by chipping a loose puck home, but Sourdif is also in the mix.
🚨 Score Update: 4-1 Washington Capitals
Goal: Justin Sourdif (9)
Assists: C. McMichael (21), R. Leonard (18)
Time: 12:38
A hefty hit from Sourdif on Moore leads to some scuffles along the boards.
Nick Lardis retaliates at 12:54, resulting in the Capitals receiving a power play opportunity. This series of impactful plays from Sourdif marks a significant turnaround from his earlier season performance, showcasing his growth with ten points (six goals and four assists) over the last six games.
By intermission, the shot count stands at 16 for each team; however, the Capitals hold a commanding lead with a 25 percent conversion rate, heading into the final period with a score of 4-1.
3rd Period:
With the third period underway, the puck is dropped again.
Ryan Leonard showcases some impressive puck-handling skills in the offensive zone.
Nic Dowd finds himself in the penalty box for tripping Ryan Greene at 4:20, but the Capitals successfully kill the penalty.
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