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Capitals-Kings Preview

Mar 8, 2016 - 8:50 PM One possible reason the Washington Capitals may like their chances of finally winning a Stanley Cup is that they added a pair of players who have lifted it.

Those players, Justin Williams and Mike Richards, are finally returning to the place where they won those championships together.

They will go on the road and face the Los Angeles Kings for the first time Wednesday night since leaving that franchise and joining the Capitals.

The receptions for Williams and Richards could be very different, even though both helped Los Angeles (39-22-4) capture Stanley Cups in 2012 and 1014.

Williams, who also won the Cup with Carolina in 2006, developed into one of the Kings' most beloved players in his six seasons with them between 2009-15. The winger shined in the 2014 postseason, amassing 25 points and earning Conn Smythe Trophy honors as the playoffs' most valuable player.

He joined Washington (49-13-4) as an unrestricted free agent before this season.

The circumstances surrounding Richards' return after spending his previous four seasons with the Kings are far less rosier because his contract with Los Angeles was terminated in the offseason. He had been sent to the minor leagues after his play and production dropped off and was arrested at the Canadian border in June for possession of a controlled substance.

Richards eventually settled a grievance with the Kings and was out of the NHL until the Capitals signed him in January.

Both Williams and Richards played in the Capitals' 3-1 home win over the Kings on Feb. 16, with Williams assisting on Evgeny Kuznetsov's go-ahead goal with 2:02 to play.

"It's weird playing against them," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said after that contest. "We understand they're not a part of our team anymore. We'll always have those memories with them and we'll never forget. Now they're on the opposite side. Next time we play them, we've got to beat them."

Los Angeles has taken its last five home meetings with Washington.

The Kings won for the sixth time in eight games Monday in a 5-1 victory over Vancouver. Jeff Carter scored twice and Anze Kopitar added a goal and two assists.

All six wins in the eight-game run have seen Los Angeles yield two or fewer goals.

''We always play good defensive hockey. I mean, it's not our team motto, but it's something we're known for,'' Doughty said. ''We take a lot of pride in playing good defense, and we always have good goaltending. That's how you win hockey games.''

The Capitals won 2-1 on Monday in a shootout that ended Anaheim's eight-game home win streak. Andre Burakovsky scored the tying goal early in the third period in a tight game that came after Washington began this four-game trip with Saturday's 2-1 overtime victory over Boston.

''It was two good teams battling it out,'' coach Barry Trotz said. ''It was a good test for us, because I didn't know what we would have (in the tank), fifth game in seven nights and getting across the country."

Washington has played 11 straight one-goal games since the victory over Los Angeles, although that margin ended at two thanks to an empty-net tally by Jason Chimera. The Capitals have played 18 games in a row decided by either one goal or two with an empty-net score.