Stars vs Capitals Live Stream: Lineups, Start Time & Score Updates for Tonight’s NHL Showdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Capital One Arena will be in the national spotlight tonight as the Dallas Stars (25-10-8) try to halt a six-game skid against the surging Washington Capitals (22-15-6). Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on TNT, Victory+ and HBO Max, with streaming options available through TV provider apps and NHL TV. Why this game matters • Dallas is clinging to second place in the Central but has surrendered four-plus goals in every game during its current slide, putting early-season dominance at risk. • Washington owns a 13-7-3 home record and can leapfrog the Hurricanes for the final automatic playoff berth in the Metropolitan with a win. Projected lineups STARS: Matt Duchene–Wyatt Johnston–Mikko Rantanen; Jason Robertson–Roope Hintz–Mavrik Bourque; Justin Hryckowian–Sam Steel–Nathan Bastian; Oskar Bäck–Radek Faksa–Colin Blackwell. Defense pairs: Esa Lindell–Miro Heiskanen; Thomas Harley–Kyle Capobianco; Ilya Lyubushkin–Nils Lundkvist. Goalie: Casey DeSmith gets the start, Jake Oettinger backs up. CAPITALS: Alex Ovechkin–Dylan Strome–Anthony Beauvillier; Connor McMichael–Justin Sourdif–Ryan Leonard; Brandon Duhaime–Nic Dowd–Ethen Frank; Brett Leason–Hendrix Lapierre–Sonny Milano. Defense pairs: Martin Fehervary–John Carlson; Jakob Chychrun–Matt Roy; Rasmus Sandin–Dylan McIlrath. Goalie: Logan Thompson starts, Charlie Lindgren backs up. Injury report Dallas: Tyler Seguin (ACL), Jamie Benn (nose), Lian Bichsel (lower body) remain out. Washington: Tom Wilson (lower body) skated in a non-contact jersey but is sidelined for a second straight game; Aliaksei Protas (IR, lower body) also unavailable. Key storylines to watch 1. Ovechkin’s push: The Capitals’ captain sits on 22 goals; he’s scored in three of the last four games and historically feasts on tired opponents in back-to-backs. 2. Robertson’s response: Dallas’ All-Star winger has 25 goals but was held off the sheet in Carolina; he’ll be counted on to ignite a top-six that owns a +23 goal differential on the road. 3. Special-teams swing: Washington’s power play is clicking at 30.2 % since New Year’s, while Dallas’ penalty kill has cratered to 68 % during the losing streak. 4. Fresh crease, fresh script? DeSmith is 4-0-1 lifetime versus Washington; Logan Thompson owns a 2.46 GAA at home this season. Betting odds & prediction Bookmakers list Washington as a slim –115 home favorite with the total set at 6.5 goals. Both clubs have gone Over in five of their past seven games, combining for 7.8 goals per night in that span. Expect a higher-scoring affair than October’s 1-0 Dallas shutout; the Over 6.5 (+105) is the value play, with a lean toward Capitals moneyline if their power play continues to fire. How to watch live • TV: TNT (national), HBO Max, Victory+ • Streaming: TNT app, Max Sports add-on, NHL TV (out-of-market), provider log-in required • Radio: The Ticket 96.7 FM (Dallas), Caps Radio 24/7 Fast facts • Dallas is 7-3-0 in its last 10 meetings with Washington, though five wins came by a single goal. • Justin Sourdif’s hat trick Monday made him the youngest Capital with a three-goal game since Alex Semin in 2003. • Mikko Rantanen rides a three-game assist streak and has 59 points in 42 contests, the eighth-best rate in the league. Bottom line A rested Capitals squad, a vulnerable Stars blue line, and two potent top lines set the stage for must-see prime-time hockey. Whether you’re tuning in for playoff positioning, the Ovechkin goal chase or Rantanen’s point parade, expect fireworks—and plenty of shots—when the Stars and Capitals collide in D.C. tonight.