Quinn Hughes’ first game with the Minnesota Wild went about as perfectly as possible.
Now, Hughes will try to put on an equally impressive encore performance.
Minnesota will go for its fifth win in a row when it faces off against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn. The Wild are coming off a 6-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday, when Hughes scored a goal in his first action with his new team.
Hughes, who teamed up with Brock Faber on the top defensive pairing, said he looked forward to becoming more familiar with his teammates on the Wild. He said he was happy with his debut and could perform even better going forward.
“The more and more I play with Brock, we’re just going to continue to get better,” Hughes said. “I thought we were really good (Sunday), but as we continue to read off each other and get to know each other, I think it’s going to be pretty special because he’s a fantastic player.
“So, it’s going to be exciting for me.”
The Capitals will try to tamp down the excitement brewing in Minnesota. Washington is 10-2-2 in its past 14 games but has dropped three of four, including a 5-1 loss in Winnipeg against the Jets on Saturday.
Capitals defenseman John Carlson said he and his teammates could benefit from the loss.
“I think it’s just a good wake-up call to remember what got us into those (winning) situations,” Carlson said. “It wasn’t waiting for guys to make the perfect plays and expecting the puck in certain situations; it was working together to get it to where it needs to be, and then obviously the good results happen.
“So, I think it’s a natural thing. I think we’re obviously addressing it. We see what the difference feels like on the ice when we’re playing good and winning, and how that feels, versus squeaking out wins and versus losing because it’s not good enough. So, everyone’s hungry to get our game back, and in the shape we expect to be in.”
Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov are tied for the Wild team lead with 37 points each. Boldly has 18 goals and 19 assists, while Kaprizov has 20 goals and 17 assists.
Washington’s top scorer is Tom Wilson, who has 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) in 32 games. Alex Ovechkin is next with 31 points (14 G, 17 A), and he arrives in Minnesota with 911 career goals.
The Wild could start either Filip Gustavsson or Jesper Wallstedt in net.
Gustavsson is 10-8-3 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in 21 games this season, and he is 3-2-0 with a 3.20 GAA and a .906 save percentage in five career games versus the Wild.
The 23-year-old Wallstedt is 9-1-2 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.95 GAA in 12 games on the season. He has never played against Washington.
For the Capitals, Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren could get the start.
Thompson is 13-7-3 with a 2.09 GAA and a .922 save percentage in 23 games. He has faced the Wild six times and is 4-1-0 with a 1.45 GAA and a .948 save percentage.
Lindgren is 5-3-1 with a 2.90 GAA and an .893 save percentage in 10 games. He is winless against the Wild with an 0-4-1 record, a 3.26 GAA and an .892 save percentage in five games.
