Detroit Red Wings vs Washington Capitals Head-to-Head

Detroit Red Wings
Washington Capitals
Capitals lead Wings62to61ยท16 ties

A virtually even rivalry in 139 all-time meetings; Capitals have extended the lead since 2005.

ByVerified

At a glance

Detroit Red Wings vs Washington Capitals insights

The edge
+1wins for Capitals
45% Capitals ยท 44% Wings ยท 12% ties

Capitals have extended the lead in the shootout era: 26-16 since 2005.

Recent form
7-13last 20

Capitals won 4-3 on Jan 29, 2026

Where it matters
4Stanley Cup Playoffs games

4 playoff games between these franchises.

The story

Capitals built their historical edge pre-2005, winning 36 of 81 decided meetings (44%) (plus 16 ties). In the shootout era they are 26-16 against each other (62% Capitals). 16 historical ties live in the all-time ledger, all predating the 2005 shootout rule. They have crossed paths in the postseason 4 times. Games average a 2.2-goal margin, with the largest blowout coming via Wings' 7-goal win. Across the last 20 decided meetings Capitals hold a 13-7 edge, suggesting the modern balance leans their way. The 1980s produced the deepest sample with 33 recorded meetings, more than any other decade in the series. Their first recorded meeting fell in 1974, so the rivalry has spanned 52 seasons of NHL history. Most recent result: Capitals won 4-3 on Jan 29, 2026. Through the 2020s Capitals have led 8-7 between the teams.

Win Percentage
61W
16T
62W
DET
T
WSH
44%12%44%
Detroit Red WingsTiesWashington Capitals

Recent Games

Last 10 Games
DateHomeAwayScoreResult
Jan 29, 2026DETWSH3โ€“4WSH
Dec 21, 2025DETWSH3โ€“2DET
Dec 20, 2025WSHDET2โ€“5DET
Mar 18, 2025WSHDET4โ€“1WSH
Mar 7, 2025WSHDET5โ€“2WSH
Dec 29, 2024DETWSH4โ€“2DET
Apr 9, 2024DETWSH1โ€“2WSH
Mar 26, 2024WSHDET4โ€“3WSH
Feb 27, 2024DETWSH8โ€“3DET
Feb 21, 2023WSHDET1โ€“3DET
Last Meeting
Jan 29, 2026Final
DET
3
HOME
WSH
4
AWAY
Capitalswon by1goal
Snapped Wings' streakยทGame 139 of all-time series

All-Time Record

Season Split & Biggest Wins
Regular season vs Stanley Cup Playoffs record, plus each team's largest margin of victory
Regular Season135 games ยท 16 ties
57
62
Stanley Cup Playoffs4 games
4
0
Detroit Red Wings Biggest Win
7โ€“0+7 goals
Jan 28, 1986
Washington Capitals Biggest Win
8โ€“2+6 goals
Feb 24, 1987
Decade Breakdown
Click a decade to filter stats below
Season by Season
Season โ†“DET โ†•WSH โ†•Games โ†•
2025โ€“26213
2024โ€“25123
2023โ€“24123
2022โ€“23213
2021โ€“22123
2019โ€“20011
2018โ€“19033
2017โ€“18123
2016โ€“17123
2015โ€“16123

Matchup Insights

Home / Away Split
33-27DET HOME35-28WSH HOME
AWAY
28-35
DET
AWAY
27-33
WSH
Streaks & Momentum
Current Streak
Washington Capitals: 1 consecutive win
1
Avg. Margin of Victory
Games decided by 2.2 goals on average
2.2goals
Momentum (Last 10 vs All-Time)
DET-Neutral
Last 1050%
All-Time49.6%
WSH-Neutral
Last 1050%
All-Time50.4%
Last 10 Results
DET / WSH

Frequently Asked Questions: Detroit Red Wings vs Washington Capitals

Methodology & Data Sources

Last updated

Every head-to-head page on SharkBetting is built from verified historical data, not generated prose. Regular-season and playoff game logs for the NHL are pulled from the official NHL api-web data service (coverage from 1917 onward). Coach matchups, arena history, and franchise lineage are cross-checked against hockey-reference.com. Award winners (Hart, Norris, Vezina, Conn Smythe) are sourced from league records and filtered to each franchise including historic relocations.

Stats are refreshed after every completed game day. If you spot an error, head to our contact page with the game date and we will verify against the source feeds.

Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals have played in the NHL since 1974.