On Saturday night, the Washington Capitals extended their winning streak by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, bringing their record to 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Notably, all seven of these victories involved the Caps scoring four or more goals, showcasing a significant improvement for a team that had difficulty scoring during the first half of the season.
A significant contributor to this recent offensive surge has been Sonny Milano. Following a two-month absence due to an upper-body injury, Milano has been maintaining a point-per-game pace since his return in mid-February, tallying eight points (6 goals, 2 assists) in eight games.
Milano extended his goal streak to five games with a goal against the Blackhawks on Saturday night. According to NHL PR, he is the first Capitals player other than Alex Ovechkin to achieve this feat since Tom Wilson accomplished it in the 2018-2019 season. Wilson scored six goals in five consecutive games from November 21, 2018, to December 2, 2018.
Milano joined the scoring ranks on Saturday night by netting a goal early in the second period. During a board battle in the neutral zone, the Capitals gained possession, leading to a two-on-one opportunity for Milano and Aliaksei Protas. Chicago goaltender Petr Mrazek’s positioning left Milano with an open net to capitalize on.
While Milano’s goal on Saturday resulted from an odd-man rush, many of his recent goals have been scored from close range near the net, emphasizing his determination rather than flashy offensive skills.
Similar to the team’s overall performance, Milano’s recent play has been a marked improvement compared to his inconsistent performance earlier in the season. In the first 23 games of the season, Milano only managed to tally eight points (4 goals, 4 assists), which led head coach Spencer Carbery to bench him as a healthy scratch less than a week before an injury sidelined him for a longer period.
“Sonny needs to understand that he’s at a stage in his career where, yes, he has demonstrated that he can be a quality NHL player, but this doesn’t mean he can rely on past achievements,” Carbery commented at the time. “He still needs to consistently prove himself.”
In less than a month, Milano has managed to double his season point total. His performance has been impressive beyond just scoring goals: since his return, the Capitals have dominated their opponents while Milano has been on the ice at five-on-five. They have outscored their opponents 8-1, outchanced them 41-29, and recorded 59% of expected goals for, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The Capitals are embarking on a challenging road trip this week, facing five teams in eight days, which is one of their toughest stretches of the season. Currently, they are just three points behind a wild-card spot, with two games in hand over the Detroit Red Wings. As Washington aims for a postseason berth, consistent scoring from players like Milano will be crucial in the final stretch of the season.
