Preview: Capitals at Wild, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025 SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — Two teams jockeying for position in the tightly contested NHL standings will meet Tuesday night when the Washington Capitals visit the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. The Wild (19-14-0) hold a slight edge in points and enter on a high note after a decisive 6-2 victory over Boston on Sunday. The Capitals (18-14-0), meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a 5-1 road loss to Winnipeg on Saturday that snapped a stretch of generally solid play. A key matchup will feature Washington’s offensive-minded defenseman Jakob Chychrun against Minnesota’s standout goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Chychrun has been a consistent scoring threat from the blue line, registering five goals and an assist in his last 10 games, including a goal in the recent loss to Winnipeg. His active shooting and physical play will be central to Washington’s attack. Wallstedt presents a formidable challenge. The Minnesota netminder has been exceptional at home, posting a 33-save shutout against Edmonton and a 32-save shutout against Winnipeg in recent weeks. In his last four starts at Grand Casino Arena, he has allowed just five total goals. The teams last met on Oct. 17 in Washington, where the Capitals dominated in a 5-1 win. The Wild will seek to even the season series on home ice, where they have won three of their last four games. Washington’s recent road record has been strong, with victories in San Jose, Los Angeles and over the New York Islanders preceding the stumble in Winnipeg. Minnesota has been inconsistent at home lately, mixing dominant wins with a few lopsided losses. Following this contest, both teams face quick turnarounds. The Capitals host Toronto on Thursday to begin a four-game homestand, while the Wild travel to face Columbus on Thursday to start a stretch with seven of their next nine games on the road. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.