Capitals Face Flyers in Hershey as Washington Continues Preseason EvaluationC
The Washington Capitals will have little time to dwell on their preseason-opening shootout loss as they return to the ice Monday night against the Philadelphia Flyers at Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Washington and Philadelphia are scheduled for a 7 p.m. puck drop in the Capitals’ second game in as many nights. The game represents Philadelphia’s preseason opener and Washington’s second of four exhibition games before the 2026-27 regular season.
The Capitals opened their preseason Sunday with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Despite the result, Washington received encouraging performances from several players competing for roles, and Monday’s meeting with Philadelphia provides another opportunity for the organization to evaluate its depth.
With the game being played in Hershey, the home of the Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears, the matchup should carry additional significance for several players familiar with Giant Center.
Capitals Come Off Competitive Preseason Opener
Washington twice held a one-goal advantage against Boston on Sunday but could not close out the game.
Jonny Brodzinski and Ivan Miroshnichenko scored for Washington, while goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 28 shots. Boston tied the game with 1:43 remaining in regulation when Charlie McAvoy scored with the Bruins’ goaltender pulled for an extra attacker. After a scoreless overtime, James Hagens scored the only goal of the shootout to give Boston the 3-2 victory.
The final score matters considerably less than individual performances at this stage of the preseason.
Miroshnichenko is among the most interesting players to watch during Washington’s training camp. He entered camp attempting to force his way onto a deep Capitals roster, and his performance against Boston gave the coaching staff another reason to continue evaluating him closely.
Brodzinski also made an immediate impression with a goal in his first preseason opportunity with Washington.
The Capitals used a relatively experienced lineup Sunday. Washington dressed several established NHL players, including roughly half of its expected top 12 forwards and four members of its likely top six on defense.
Monday should provide head coach Spencer Carbery and his staff with an opportunity to evaluate another portion of the training camp roster.
Back-to-Back Games Change the Evaluation
Playing preseason games on consecutive nights is useful for an organization carrying a large training camp roster.
Washington entered camp with 52 players, including 29 forwards, 17 defensemen and seven goaltenders. That gives the Capitals enough personnel to rotate heavily without asking many players to play on consecutive nights.
For players competing for the final few roster positions, every shift becomes important.
Washington already has an established veteran core, meaning younger players and organizational depth pieces have to demonstrate that they can contribute without disrupting the structure Carbery expects from his NHL lineup.
Preseason hockey can become disorganized because of unfamiliar combinations and players operating within systems they are still learning. The players who consistently make simple, responsible decisions can separate themselves from the rest of the competition.
Monday’s game should therefore be judged on more than goals and assists.
Puck management, defensive positioning, forechecking, special-teams execution and play away from the puck will all factor into Washington’s evaluations.
Flyers Begin Their Preseason
Philadelphia enters Monday playing its first exhibition game of 2026.
The Flyers opened training camp Sept. 17 with 46 players — 26 forwards, 16 defensemen and four goaltenders. Philadelphia divided its players into three groups during camp before beginning its four-game preseason schedule.
Philadelphia also faces a compressed exhibition schedule.
After playing Washington Monday, the Flyers travel to Boston Tuesday. They then host Boston Thursday before finishing the preseason against Washington Saturday.
That means the Capitals and Flyers will see each other twice during the abbreviated preseason.
Philadelphia’s coaching staff will use those four games to make decisions quickly before the Flyers open the regular season Sept. 30 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Another Capitals-Flyers Game in Hershey
Monday marks the second consecutive preseason in which Washington and Philadelphia will play at Giant Center.
Last September, Washington defeated Philadelphia 5-1 in Hershey.
The setting provides the Capitals with an opportunity to bring an NHL game to a building that plays an important role in the organization.
Hershey has long served as Washington’s primary development destination. Prospects routinely move through the Bears before reaching Washington, while NHL players can also spend time there during conditioning assignments or roster transactions.
For players who have played significant minutes for Hershey, Monday’s game should feel considerably more familiar than the average neutral-site preseason contest.
Washington’s Young Players Remain a Major Storyline
One of the biggest questions throughout Capitals camp is whether any younger player can force Washington into a difficult roster decision.
Miroshnichenko helped his case Sunday.
The 22-year-old winger entered camp as one of Washington’s players worth monitoring closely, and his goal against Boston continued a positive start to camp. His combination of size and scoring ability has made him an intriguing part of the Capitals’ organizational depth.
The challenge is consistency.
Producing an impressive scoring play is valuable, but Washington will also want to see dependable defensive decisions, effective forechecking and responsible puck management.
Those details become especially important for players attempting to earn bottom-six NHL minutes.
Washington is not searching exclusively for scoring. The Capitals need players who can fill specific roles within Carbery’s system.
That makes every preseason game a different kind of test.
Goaltending Competition Continues
Thompson gave Washington exactly what it wanted Sunday.
He stopped 28 shots and kept the Capitals ahead for much of the game before Boston tied the contest late.
With Thompson getting the preseason opener, Washington can use its remaining exhibition games to evaluate the rest of its goaltending depth.
Charlie Lindgren is among the goaltenders in camp, while Washington also has several younger options competing for organizational positioning.
Preseason goaltending statistics should always be viewed carefully because the defensive groups playing in front of the goaltenders can change dramatically from period to period.
The evaluation is often more about positioning, rebound control, puck tracking and communication with defensemen.
Special Teams Worth Watching
Washington had an excellent opportunity to win Sunday’s game during overtime when it received a power play.
Boston goaltender Michael DiPietro made four saves during that overtime power play as part of a 30-save performance.
Special teams are one of the most important preseason evaluation areas because they allow coaching staffs to experiment with personnel without the pressure of regular-season standings.
Washington can test different combinations on both the power play and penalty kill.
For younger forwards, earning a role on the second power-play unit could improve their chances of sticking around deeper into camp. For depth forwards, penalty killing can be even more important.
A player who can kill penalties, forecheck and play responsible defensive hockey provides Carbery with lineup flexibility.
Faceoffs and Defensive-Zone Details
There was another specific issue Washington will want to clean up after Sunday.
Both Boston goals in regulation came within five seconds of faceoff victories in Washington’s defensive zone.
That is the type of detail coaches notice immediately.
Losing a faceoff does not automatically have to become a scoring chance. Washington’s wingers and defensemen need to react quickly, identify assignments and prevent clean shooting lanes after the puck is dropped.
Philadelphia should provide another test in that area Monday.
Preseason games are designed partly to identify exactly these kinds of problems before they become costly during the regular season.
What to Watch
Washington’s roster competition remains the biggest storyline.
The Capitals already know what most of their established veterans can provide. These games are much more valuable for players competing for the final roster positions and prospects trying to demonstrate that they are closer to the NHL than the organization previously believed.
Miroshnichenko will be worth monitoring throughout camp after his strong opening performance.
Washington’s defensive-zone faceoffs are another area to watch after Boston generated both regulation goals almost immediately following draws.
Special teams should receive plenty of attention as well. With only four preseason games on the schedule, Washington does not have the luxury of spending several weeks experimenting.
Finally, the atmosphere in Hershey should make Monday feel different from the typical preseason game.
The Capitals and Bears have one of hockey’s most important NHL-AHL relationships, and bringing Washington back to Giant Center provides Hershey fans with an opportunity to watch players from throughout the organization on the same ice.
Game Information
Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals
Date: Monday, Sept. 21, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Giant Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Capitals preseason record: 0-0-1
Flyers preseason record: 0-0-0
Capitals TV: MNMT2
Radio: Capitals Radio Network and NHL app.
Philadelphia has also announced that its preseason games will be carried on NBC Sports Philadelphia/NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus and 97.5 The Fanatic.
MSB Take
The Capitals’ 3-2 shootout loss to Boston was a useful preseason opener because Washington got strong performances from several players it needed to evaluate. Miroshnichenko and Brodzinski scoring and Thompson turning aside 28 shots gave the Capitals several positives despite losing the game.
Monday is another evaluation game, and the location makes it particularly interesting. Giant Center is familiar territory for numerous players throughout the Capitals organization, and the Hershey crowd should give the game more energy than a typical neutral-site preseason matchup.
The biggest thing to watch is Washington’s roster competition. With only four preseason games before the regular season, there are not many opportunities for bubble players to make an impression.
Washington does not need a perfect performance against Philadelphia. It needs individual players to show they understand their assignments, can play within Carbery’s system and can be trusted when the games begin to count.
For the players fighting for the final few spots, Monday night in Hershey could be one of their most important auditions of training camp.
