The Washington Capitals, led by the relentless Alex Ovechkin, are riding high after scoring 15 goals in their last two games, including a 7-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Ovechkin's hat trick in that game marked his 32nd career hat trick, bringing him to 882 career goals, just 13 shy of Wayne Gretzky's NHL record. With 29 goals in 41 games this season, he is well on pace to break the record this year. Meanwhile, the Capitals are embracing a home-ice advantage with an impressive 11-game point streak at home, a streak they hope to extend against the Calgary Flames.

The Flames are entering a challenging six-game road trip, starting with the Capitals, and will need to ramp up their game after a shaky 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Players like Nazem Kadri, who extended his point streak to six games, and Joel Hanley, who scored his first career game-winning goal, are crucial to Calgary's playoff aspirations as they try to catch up in the Western Conference playoff race.