Ducks @ Capitals

Who will WIN this matchup?

Anaheim Ducks (13-10-5)

@ Washington Capitals (15-7-3)

Starting Goalies:

John Gibson (ANA): Unconfirmed

Braden Holtby (WSH): Unconfirmed

Current odds:

Anaheim Ducks: (+170)

Washington Capitals: (-190)

• Washington dodged a bullet when Tom Wilson avoided his fifth career suspension after receiving a game misconduct for a high hit Friday, so the controversial yet talented forward will be in the lineup when the Capitals host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday afternoon. Wilson, whose latest ban for an illegal head shot on St. Louis’ Oskar Sundqvist during the preseason was reduced from 20 to 14 games, has scored in a career-best five straight contests and boasts seven goals in nine games this season. The line of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Wilson has combined for 18 of the 30 goals and 35 points during the winning streak, highlighted by Backstrom’s second career hat trick Friday.

• Anaheim has won five of its last six games, including Friday’s 2-1 overtime victory in Carolina that made it 3-1-0 on a five-game road trip. “We’ve had a knack for finding ways to come back and winning some games we thought we were out of and maybe shouldn’t have won,” Ducks goaltender John Gibson told reporters after playing his 200th game Friday. “It’s says a lot about the character of our team that we can overcome rough patches and still be able to hold on and find ways to win.”

• Captain Ryan Getzlaf shares the club lead in goals (seven) with Pontus Aberg after Aberg tied Friday’s game with 3:50 remaining and Getzlaf scored in overtime. Defenseman Hampus Lindholm returned to the lineup Friday after missing six games with a lower-body injury and assisted on Getzlaf’s goal while playing 26 minutes, 9 seconds. Gibson (10-8-4, 2.47 goals-against average, .929 save percentage) has won four of his last five games, allowing 11 goals with a .934 SP during that span.

• Ovechkin (team-high 19 goals, 31 points) passed Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic to move into 15th all-time with his 626th goal – an empty-netter – Friday, giving him seven goals and 11 points in the last seven games. Backstrom (nine goals, club-most 32 points) has seven points in his last two contests and 12 points (five goals) during the winning streak. Evgeny Kuznetsov (six goals, 22 points) recorded an assist Friday in his first game since missing six with a concussion while T.J. Oshie (nine goals, 14 points) missed his seventh straight contest with a concussion.

• Anaheim is 12-for-13 on the penalty kill over the last three games after going 5-for-11 in the previous four contests while Washington is 17-for-17 in its past five games.

• Washington G Braden Holtby (10-5-2, 2.76, .917) has won his last five games, posting a 1.49 GAA and .957 SP during that span.

• The clubs split the last three two-game season series with the home team winning the last four meetings.