The Washington Capitals will be facing an eighth consecutive game without Nic Dowd, as they prepare for their upcoming match against the Los Angeles Kings. And here’s where it gets interesting—Dowd’s absence continues despite ongoing updates, and the team’s strategy has adapted remarkably in his absence. Additionally, Logan Thompson is slated to be the starting goalie for the Capitals in this critical game in California.
The team has embarked on a three-game trek across the West Coast, kicking off with a visit to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday evening. Nic Dowd, a veteran center who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury, remains unavailable for this game. Coach Spencer Carbery provided an update after the team’s morning skate, although he did not specify a timeline for Dowd’s return.
“I don’t have much new information,” Carbery explained. “He’s been skating, which is a positive development, but there’s no precise timeline for his comeback yet.” Despite his absence, the Capitals have shown resilience. Over the past seven games—during which Dowd and Pierre-Luc Dubois have been sidelined—the team has leaned heavily on Dylan Strome along with a promising trio of young centers: Connor McMichael, Justin Sourdif, and Hendrix Lapierre. The results have been impressive, with the Capitals winning 6 of those 7 games, allowing them to climb back into the top three positions within the Metropolitan Division standings.
As of now, the team has not announced any lineup changes for the upcoming game against the Kings. The last time they met, the Capitals secured a narrow 2-1 victory at home, with goals from former Kings defenseman Matt Roy and team captain Alex Ovechkin.
Expected lineup for the December 2nd game against the Kings:
"Ovechkin, Strome, Beauvillier, Protas, Sourdif, Wilson, Duhaime, McMichael, Leonard, Milano, Lapierre, Frank, Fehervary, Carlson, Chychrun, Roy, Sandin, TVR, Thompson, Lindgren."
Logan Thompson will make his first start in California, after delivering a stellar performance in his last outing against the New York Islanders, where he stopped 30 shots on 31 attempts in a 4-1 victory. It’s notable because Charlie Lindgren, who previously faced the Kings in November, is expected to start against the San Jose Sharks in the second game of a back-to-back series. Thompson’s career record against the Kings stands at 5 wins, 2 losses, with a goals-against average of 2.38 and a remarkable .925 save percentage.
The Los Angeles Kings are currently sitting comfortably in second place in the Pacific Division with a record of 12 wins, 6 losses, and 7 overtime or shootout losses. Their latest game saw them edge the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 in overtime on Saturday, demonstrating their competitive edge and solid form.
And this is the part most people miss: Despite the Capitals’ struggles with injuries, their strategic adjustments and resilience have kept them competitive, raising an intriguing question—can they sustain this momentum and overcome their missing pieces? If you have thoughts about their chances or the value of their current lineup, share your views below. Do you believe the team’s depth will be enough to hold strong against tough opponents like the Kings, or is the absence of key players a turning point? Let’s get the discussion going!
