Ottawa @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 26, 2019 ) Ottawa 2, Washington 7

Despite owning the best record in hockey, the Washington Capitals have not been at the top of their game of late, although they showed the ability to elevate their play to another level last time out. Coming off a stunning come-from-behind victory, the Capitals will go for their third straight victory against the visiting Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.

Washington appeared doomed to its fourth defeat in six games, trailing San Jose by two goals with one minute to play, but scored twice before squeezing out a 5-4 victory in overtime. "We just keep working," forward T.J. Oshie said after the Capitals became the seventh team in league history to win after trailing by more than one goal in the last minute of regulation. "We've got everyone tugging the rope. And when you have that, it's fun." It has not been fun for the Senators since returning from the Christmas break: They lost their fourth in a row (0-3-1) in a 5-3 setback to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ottawa has the second-fewest wins away from home at 5-14-3 and has dropped six in a row to the Capitals since the start of the 2017-18 season.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: RDS2, TSN5, NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE SENATORS (16-21-5): Leading scorer Anthony Duclair (foot) missed Saturday's game and is uncertain to play against Washington, although he will travel with the team. Drake Batherson, who had 13 goals and 41 points at Belleville of the American Hockey League before he was called up Saturday to take Duclair's place, will be in the lineup Tuesday. “I got a big opportunity last game,” Batherson said Monday. “Being able to play four-on-four, stuff like that, and on the power play. I’m just trying to make the most of that and have fun.”

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (29-9-5): Braden Holtby had yielded 13 goals during a three-start losing streak and was beaten three times in the second period Sunday. Coach Todd Reirden resisted the idea of yanking his No. 1 netminder and was rewarded when Holtby shut the door until an empty-netter. "He’s got a fair body of work, that’s for sure, in this league and his win numbers and being an All-Star, he deserves that chance to go back in there today and he ends up making deciding saves to help us win that extra point," Reirden said.

OVERTIME

1. Capitals F Jakub Vrana has scored three times in the past two games and all 18 of his tallies have come at even strength.

2. Senators C Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his 19th goal Saturday, matching his career high.

3. The Capitals have posted a league-best sixth multi-goal comeback wins.

PREDICTION: Capitals 5, Senators 2