2020–21 Washington Capitals season

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2020–21 Washington Capitals
Division2nd East
2020–21 record36–15–5
Home record17–8–3
Road record19–7–2
Goals for191
Goals against163
Team information
General managerBrian MacLellan
CoachPeter Laviolette[1]
CaptainAlexander Ovechkin
Alternate captainsNicklas Backstrom
John Carlson
ArenaCapital One Arena
Minor league affiliate(s)Hershey Bears (AHL)
South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsAlexander Ovechkin (24)
AssistsNicklas Backstrom (38)
PointsNicklas Backstrom (53)
Penalty minutesTom Wilson (96)
Plus/minusDmitry Orlov (+16)
WinsVitek Vanecek (21)
Goals against averageCraig Anderson (2.13)

The 2020–21 Washington Capitals season was the 47th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 11, 1974.[2] This was the first season for Peter Laviolette as head coach of the Capitals[3] after their former head coach Todd Reirden was fired from the team on August 23, 2020.[4] On December 20, 2020, the league temporarily realigned into four divisions with no conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing closure of the Canada–United States border. As a result of this realignment, the Capitals would play this season in the East Division and would play against only the other teams in their new division during the regular season and potentially the first two rounds of the playoffs.

On April 29, the Capitals clinched a playoff berth after a 5–4 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.[5] As a result of the Capitals winning in overtime against the Philadelphia Flyers while the Penguins won in regulation against the Buffalo Sabres on May 8, the Penguins won the East division title,[6] and the Capitals failed to win the division for the first time since the 2014–15 season. They were eliminated from the playoffs in the First Round with a 3–1 loss to the Boston Bruins in game five on May 23.

Standings[]

Divisional standings[]

East Division
Pos Team
 GP W L OTL RW GF GA GD Pts
1 y – Pittsburgh Penguins 56 37 16 3 29 196 156 +40 77
2 x – Washington Capitals 56 36 15 5 29 191 163 +28 77
3 x – Boston Bruins 56 33 16 7 25 168 136 +32 73
4 x – New York Islanders 56 32 17 7 24 156 128 +28 71
5 e – New York Rangers 56 27 23 6 24 177 157 +20 60
6 e – Philadelphia Flyers 56 25 23 8 17 163 201 −38 58
7 e – New Jersey Devils 56 19 30 7 15 145 194 −49 45
8 e – Buffalo Sabres 56 15 34 7 11 138 199 −61 37
Source: National Hockey League[7]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
e – Eliminated from playoff contention; x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Schedule and results[]

Regular season[]

The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020.[8]

2020–21 game log
January: 6–0–3 (Home: 4–0–1; Road: 2–0–2)
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap
1 January 14 @ Buffalo 6–4 Samsonov 0 1–0–0 2 [9]
2 January 15 @ Buffalo 2–1 Vanecek 0 2–0–0 4 [10]
3 January 17 @ Pittsburgh 3–4 SO Samsonov 0 2–0–1 5 [11]
4 January 19 @ Pittsburgh 4–5 OT Vanecek 0 2–0–2 6 [12]
5 January 22 Buffalo 4–3 SO Vanecek 0 3–0–2 8 [13]
6 January 24 Buffalo 3–4 SO Vanecek 0 3–0–3 9 [14]
7 January 26 NY Islanders 3–2 Vanecek 0 4–0–3 11 [15]
8 January 28 NY Islanders 6–3 Vanecek 0 5–0–3 13 [16]
9 January 30 Boston 4–3 OT Vanecek 0 6–0–3 15 [17]
February: 6–5–1 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 3–2–0)
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap
10 February 1 Boston 3–5 Vanecek 0 6–1–3 15 [18]
11 February 4 @ NY Rangers 2–4 Vanecek 0 6–2–3 15 [19]
12 February 7 Philadelphia 4–7 Anderson 0 6–3–3 15 [20]
– February 9 Philadelphia – Postponed due to COVID-19.[21] Rescheduled for April 13.[22]
– February 11 @ Buffalo – Postponed due to COVID-19.[23] Reschduled for March 15.[24]
– February 13 @ Buffalo – Postponed due to COVID-19. Reschduled for April 9.[24]
13 February 14 @ Pittsburgh 3–6 Vanecek 0 6–4–3 15 [25]
14 February 16 @ Pittsburgh 3–1 Vanecek 0 7–4–3 17 [26]
15 February 18 Buffalo 3–1 Vanecek 0 8–4–3 19 [27]
16 February 20 NY Rangers 1–4 Vanecek 0 8–5–3 19 [28]
17 February 21 New Jersey 4–3 Anderson 0 9–5–3 21 [29]
18 February 23 Pittsburgh 2–3 OT Vanecek 0 9–5–4 22 [30]
19 February 25 Pittsburgh 5–2 Vanecek 0 10–5–4 24 [31]
20 February 27 @ New Jersey 5–2 Vanecek 0 11–5–4 26 [32]
21 February 28 @ New Jersey 3–2 Samsonov 0 12–5–4 28 [33]
March: 11–3–0 (Home: 6–1–0; Road: 5–2–0)
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap
22 March 3 @ Boston 2–1 SO Vanecek 0 13–5–4 30 [34]
23 March 5 @ Boston 1–5 Vanecek 0 13–6–4 30 [35]
24 March 7 @ Philadelphia 3–1 Samsonov 3,023 14–6–4 32 [36]
25 March 9 New Jersey 5–4 OT Vanecek 0 15–6–4 34 [37]
26 March 11 @ Philadelphia 5–3 Samsonov 2,807 16–6–4 36 [38]
27 March 13 @ Philadelphia 5–4 Samsonov 3,083 17–6–4 38 [39]
28 March 15 @ Buffalo 6–0 Vanecek 0 18–6–4 40 [40]
29 March 16 NY Islanders 3–1 Samsonov 0 19–6–4 42 [41]
30 March 19 NY Rangers 2–1 Vanecek 0 20–6–4 44 [42]
31 March 20 NY Rangers 1–3 Samsonov 0 20–7–4 44 [43]
32 March 25 New Jersey 4–3 Vanecek 0 21–7–4 46 [44]
33 March 26 New Jersey 4–0 Samsonov 0 22–7–4 48 [45]
34 March 28 NY Rangers 5–4 Samsonov 0 23–7–4 50 [46]
35 March 30 @ NY Rangers 2–5 Vanecek 1,761 23–8–4 50 [47]
April: 9–5–1 (Home: 2–2–1; Road: 7–3–0)
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap
36 April 1 @ NY Islanders 4–8 Samsonov 1,400 23–9–4 50 [48]
37 April 2 @ New Jersey 2–1 OT Vanecek 3,600 24–9–4 52 [49]
38 April 4 @ New Jersey 5–4 Samsonov 3,600 25–9–4 54 [50]
39 April 6 @ NY Islanders 0–1 Vanecek 1,400 25–10–4 54 [51]
40 April 8 Boston 2–4 Samsonov 0 25–11–4 54 [52]
41 April 9 @ Buffalo 4–3 Vanecek —[a] 26–11–4 56 [53]
42 April 11 @ Boston 8–1 Vanecek 2,191 27–11–4 58 [54]
43 April 13 Philadelphia 6–1 Samsonov 0 28–11–4 60 [55]
44 April 15 Buffalo 2–5 Vanecek 0 28–12–4 60 [56]
45 April 17 @ Philadelphia 6–3 Samsonov 3,430 29–12–4 62 [57]
46 April 18 @ Boston 3–6 Vanecek 2,191 29–13–4 62 [58]
47 April 22 @ NY Islanders 1–0 SO Samsonov 1,400 30–13–4 64 [59]
48 April 24 @ NY Islanders 6–3 Samsonov 1,400 31–13–4 66 [60]
49 April 27 NY Islanders 1–0 Vanecek 2,133 32–13–4 68 [61]
50 April 29 Pittsburgh 4–5 OT Vanecek 2,133 32–13–5 69 [62]
May: 4–2–0 (Home: 2–2–0; Road: 2–0–0)
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Points Recap
51 May 1 Pittsburgh 0–3 Samsonov 2,133 32–14–5 69 [63]
52 May 3 @ NY Rangers 6–3 Vanecek 1,800 33–14–5 71 [64]
53 May 5 @ NY Rangers 4–2 Vanecek 1,800 34–14–5 73 [65]
54 May 7 Philadelphia 2–4 Vanecek 2,133 34–15–5 73 [66]
55 May 8 Philadelphia 2–1 OT Anderson 2,133 35–15–5 75 [67]
56 May 11 Boston 2–1 Vanecek 2,133 36–15–5 77 [68]

  Win (2 Points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)   Postponement

Playoffs[]

Main article: 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs
2021 Stanley Cup playoffs
East Division First Round vs. (E3) Boston Bruins: Boston won 4–1
Game Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Series Recap
1 May 15 Boston 3–2 OT Anderson 5,333 1–0 [69]
2 May 17 Boston 3–4 OT Anderson 5,333 1–1 [70]
3 May 19 @ Boston 2–3 2OT Samsonov 4,565 1–2 [71]
4 May 21 @ Boston 1–4 Samsonov 4,565 1–3 [72]
5 May 23 Boston 1–3 Samsonov 5,333 1–4 [73]

  Win   Loss

Player statistics[]

Skaters[]

Goaltenders[]

Regular season[76]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Vitek Vanecek 37 36 2,115:29 21 10 4 95 2.69 1,031 .908 2 0 0 0
Ilya Samsonov 19 18 1,092:49 13 4 1 49 2.69 499 .902 2 0 1 0
Craig Anderson 4 2 168:44 2 1 0 6 2.13 71 .915 0 0 0 0
Playoffs[77]
Player GP GS TOI W L GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Craig Anderson 2 1 112:10 1 1 5 2.67 70 .929 0 0 0 0
Ilya Samsonov 3 3 200:55 0 3 10 2.99 99 .899 0 0 0 0
Vitek Vanecek 1 1 13:10 0 0 1 4.56 4 .750 0 0 0 0

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Capitals. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only.
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Capitals only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Draft picks[]

See also: List of Washington Capitals draft picks

Below are the Washington Capitals' selections at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, which was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 6–7, 2020 the draft was held virtually via Video conference call from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 22 Hendrix Lapierre C Canada Canada Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
4 117 RW Russia Russia Dynamo Moscow 2 (MHL)
5 148 D United States United States Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
6 179 G Canada Canada Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7 211 LW Sweden Sweden Malmö Redhawks (SHL)

References[]

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  2. ^ National Hockey League (2012). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2013. Triumph Books. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-60078-785-0.
  3. ^ Kaplan, Emily (September 15, 2020). "Peter Laviolette named head coach of Washington Capitals". ESPN.com. ESPN Enterprises. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  4. ^ Gulitti, Tom (August 23, 2020). "Reirden fired as Capitals coach after another loss in Eastern First Round". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L. P. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
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  67. ^ "Philadelphia Flyers - Washington Capitals - May 8th, 2021". NHL.com.
  68. ^ "Boston Bruins - Washington Capitals - May 11th, 2021". NHL.com.
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  70. ^ "Boston Bruins - Washington Capitals - May 17th, 2021". NHL.com.
  71. ^ "Washington Capitals - Boston Bruins - May 19th, 2021". NHL.com.
  72. ^ "Washington Capitals - Boston Bruins - May 21st, 2021". NHL.com.
  73. ^ "Boston Bruins - Washington Capitals - May 23rd, 2021". NHL.com.
  74. ^ "2020–21 Regular season – Washington Capitals Stats – Skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  75. ^ "2020–21 Playoffs – Washington Capitals Stats – Skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  76. ^ "2020–21 Regular season – Washington Capitals Stats – Goalies". NHL.com. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  77. ^ "2020–21 Playoffs – Washington Capitals Stats – Goalies". NHL.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Spectators were in attendance, but the exact number was not reported.
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