Two teams navigating late-season challenges will meet on Monday night as the Washington Capitals host the Calgary Flames at Capital One Arena. The game, set to begin at 7 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on Sportsnet West and Sportsnet+, offering fans across Canada a chance to follow all the action. A live NHL tracker will also be available for real-time updates.
Both the Capitals and the Flames are currently outside of playoff contention, making this matchup a battle for pride as the regular season winds down. Calgary enters the game with a record of 25-30-7, even as Washington sits at 31-26-7. The Flames are embarking on a five-game road trip, hoping to find some consistency after a recent 5-4 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, according to NHL.com.
The Flames will debut Victor Olofsson after acquiring him in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Yet, Calgary will be without several key players due to injury. Jake Bean is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, Samuel Honzek is recovering from an upper-body injury, Jonathan Huberdeau is out following hip surgery, and Zach Whitecloud is nursing an upper-body injury. Whitecloud did not travel with the team after sustaining an injury during Saturday’s game against Carolina.
Flames Projected Lineup
Calgary is expected to ice the following lineup:
- Joel Farabee — Morgan Frost — Blake Coleman
- Victor Olofsson — Mikael Backlund — Matt Coronato
- Connor Zary — Ryan Strome — Matvei Gridin
- Ryan Lomberg — Yegor Sharangovich — Adam Klapka
On defense, the Flames will travel with:
- Kevin Bahl — Yan Kuznetsov
- Olli Maatta — Brayden Pachal
- Joel Hanley — Zayne Parekh
Devin Cooley will start in net, with Dustin Wolf serving as the backup. Martin Pospisil, John Beecher, and Hunter Brzustewicz are listed as scratches. Gridin and Brzustewicz were recalled from the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers on Sunday.
Capitals Look to Continue Momentum
The Capitals, meanwhile, are coming off a solid performance and will look to maintain their momentum on home ice. Washington boasts a projected lineup that includes veteran Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals have not reported any injuries as of Monday morning.
Here’s how the Capitals are expected to line up:
- Alex Ovechkin — Dylan Strome — Anthony Beauvillier
- Aliaksei Protas — Pierre-Luc Dubois — Tom Wilson
- Connor McMichael — Justin Sourdif — Ryan Leonard
- Brandon Duhaime — Hendrix Lapierre — Ethen Frank
Defensively, the Capitals will feature:
- Martin Fehervary — Rasmus Sandin
- Jakob Chychrun — Matt Roy
- Dylan McIlrath — Trevor van Riemsdyk
Logan Thompson will start in goal for Washington, with Charie Lindgren as the backup. David Kampf, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Timothy Liljegren, and Declan Chisholm are expected to be scratches. Liljegren, recently acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks, will not play on Monday but could make his Capitals debut on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Capitals defeated the Flames 3-1 in their previous meeting on January 23, 2026, as reported by ESPN. Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome, and Matt Roy scored for Washington in that contest.
As both teams look to finish the season strong, Monday’s game offers a chance to build momentum and evaluate players for the future. Fans can catch all the action live on Sportsnet West, Sportsnet+, and through the NHL’s live tracker.
What impact will Olofsson’s debut have on the Flames’ offensive capabilities? Share your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this article with fellow hockey fans!
