The first-year Cap has also recorded three or more shots in nine of his past 12 games since the holiday break, and his 8.79 shots and 19.21 attempts per 60 minutes during the stretch are well above his respective 6.05 and 17.36 marks to start the campaign.

Two of the National Hockey League’s top teams will tangle at Rogers Center in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday night. The Washington Capitols, which top all NHL teams with 67 points, will open a five-game road trip against the Oilers (29-14-3, in the Pacific Division), one of six teams with at least 60 points.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.

McVie made his NHL head coaching debut when he succeeded Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt in Washington on New Year’s Eve in 1975, but he never finished higher than fourth before heading to the WHA.

Tom McVie, Boston Bruins ambassador and former coach for the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets, is dead at age of 89.

He also coached the Washington Capitals, compiling an overall NHL record of 126-263 with 73 ties in parts of eight seasons from 1975-92.