WASHINGTON — The accolades keep pouring in for Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, who has been named the NHL’s Second Star of the Month for December.
The league made the announcement on Monday: Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames was named First Star and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks took Third Star honors.
Holtby went 9-0-1 in December with a 1.69 goals-against-average, .947 save percentage and one shutout as the Capitals (28-7-3) remained atop the Metropolitan Division with their best start in franchise history.
This marks Holtby’s second straight monthly honor after he was named the NHL’s Second Star in November. Entering play Monday, Holtby led all goalies with 24 wins and ranked second with a 1.92 G.A.A., and fourth with a .932 save percentage.
Holtby has helped the Caps earn at least a point in each of his last 18 decisions, posting a 16-0-2 record since his last regulation defeat (a 1-0 loss in Detroit on Nov.10).
Elsewhere on the ice…
Following practice Monday, the Caps chartered to Boston for Tuesday’s game at TD Garden. The Bruins will be without forward Brad Marchand, who is serving a three-game suspension.
Alex Ovechkin enters play Tuesday with 496 career goals in 797 games. Ovechkin is looking to join Hall-of-Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull and Mike Bossy as the only players in NHL history to score 500 goals in 800 games.
Injured defenseman John Carlson skated individually for about 20 minutes before the rest of the Capitals took the ice for practice Monday morning.Carlson has missed four straight games with a lower-body injury suffered Dec. 26 against Montreal.