<p>The <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/washington-capitals/line-combinations">Washington Capitals</a> have punched their ticket to the dance.</p>



<p>With a 3-2 win over the Metropolitan Division rival <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations">Philadelphia Flyers</a> on Thursday, the Capitals picked up another two points to improve to 46-15-8 and 100 points on the season. With the feat, the Capitals became the first team this season to clinch a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.</p>



<p>In all, it marks a remarkable turnaround from a year ago when the Capitals finished 40-31-11 to secure the second and final wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference with 91 points, the fewest of the 16 playoff participants. Over the offseason, the Capitals remodeled, adding forward Pierre-Luc Dubois in a deal with the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a>, defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations">Ottawa Senators</a>, and goaltender Logan Thompson from the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vegas-golden-knights/line-combinations">Vegas Golden Knights</a>.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="133"></div>



<p>Beyond Ovechkin, up front the Capitals have seen success from 28-year-old center Dylan Strome who headlines the squad with near point-per-game production counting 22 goals and 45 assists through 69 appearances. In all, Strome is one of three Capitals to have scored 60 or more points alongside Dubois and 24-year-old Belarusian-born forward Aliaksei Protas who in his fourth career season has registered 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points in 69 outings.</p>



<p>For the Capitals, the 2024-25 campaign has also been highlighted by captain Alex Ovechkin’s push to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer. Against the Flyers on Thursday, the 39-year-old star secured his 35th goal of the season, putting him at <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/washington-capitals-alex-ovechkin-goal-888">888 career tallies</a> and just seven shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky for top spot.</p>



<p>In qualifying for the postseason, the Capitals have advanced to the playoffs for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. However, the Capitals have not won a postseason series since the squad won four rounds in 2018 to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="178"></div>
