Preview: Utah Mammoth at Washington Capitals WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Two teams hovering around the .500 mark will look to gain traction in the playoff chase when the Utah Mammoth visit the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena. Both clubs enter with identical 31-win records, though Utah (31-29-0) holds a slight edge in points after Washington (31-31-0) dropped its most recent outing 6-2 in Montreal on Saturday. The Mammoth are looking to rebound from a shutout loss, falling 4-0 at home to Chicago on Sunday. A key matchup will feature Washington’s veteran star against Utah’s offensive-minded defenseman. Alex Ovechkin remains a focal point for the Capitals, coming off a two-goal, six-shot performance in the loss to Montreal. The 40-year-old winger has shown flashes of his prolific scoring touch recently. For Utah, defenseman Sean Durzi is a player to watch. Despite a minus-2 rating and 10 penalty minutes in the loss to Chicago, Durzi has been active offensively, recording a goal and two assists in his last five games. His mobility and power-play work will be crucial for a Mammoth team that has alternated wins and losses over its last six games. The Capitals have been inconsistent at home, going 3-2-0 in their last five at Capital One Arena, including a 3-2 win over Vegas on Feb. 27. Utah has struggled on the road recently, with a 1-2-0 record in its last three away games, though that lone win was a 4-3 victory in Florida on Jan. 27. Historically, this is a rare interconference meeting. The teams are not scheduled to meet again until Washington travels to Utah on March 26. Tuesday’s contest opens a three-game road trip for the Mammoth, who will visit Philadelphia on Thursday. The Capitals will look to build momentum before heading out for a two-game trip of their own beginning Saturday in Boston. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.