Washington, DC (Betting Express) - The Southeast Division-leading Washington Capitals try to keep on rolling tonight when they welcome the
Los Angeles Kings to MCI Center.
Washington is 5-0-1-2 in its last eight tries and enters tonight's action with a lead of one on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Southeast, and the latter club holds a game in hand.
On Monday the Caps posted a 2-1 overtime win against visiting Philadelphia, as Peter Bondra scored a power-play goal 21 seconds into the extra session. Robert Lang tied things at 1-1 7:09 into the third period, while Olaf Kolzig stopped 17 shots.
Bondra and Lang have each collected five points in their last three games, both scoring twice and assisting on three other goals. Should either player notch a point tonight, he would extend his point streak to four.
Washington played without winger Jaromir Jagr due to a broken bone in his wrist. The All-Star is expected to miss tonight's contest as well.
The Capitals, 4-0-1 in their last five at home, will host Colorado on Sunday before embarking on a six-game road trip to close out the month of March.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, has lost two straight and five of the last seven. On Wednesday the Kings opened a three-game swing with a 4-2 loss in Tampa, as the Bolts' Ruslan Fedotenko snapped a 2-2 tie with 2:49 left in the match. Alexander Frolov and Ian Laperriere tallied in defeat, while Jamie Storr turned aside 23 shots.
LA comes into its matchup with Washington 11th in the Western Conference with 66 points -- 10 behind the eighth-place Edmonton Oilers. If and when the Kings are officially eliminated from postseason contention, it will mark the first time since 1999 they are absent from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Los Angeles, 4-0-1 on Fridays this season, has lost three of its last four away from home. Andy Murray's club will visit Carolina on Saturday.
Washington defeated LA, 3-2, in overtime at Staples Center on October 16, 2001 and is on a two-game series winning streak after going winless in five straight meetings.
