Capitals' Dubois: 'Extra special' to win vs. Kings

Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois was happy to get some revenge on his former team during Washington's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

"It feels good," a smiling Dubois said with a chuckle. "It feels a little extra special."

He added: "You just want to win. You remember a little bit of the things that happened last year and all you want to do is win. This group is extremely resilient. It wasn't easy, but we got it done."

Dubois recorded two assists in the victory, bringing his season total to 25 points (five goals, 20 helpers) in 33 contests. He's on pace to hit the 60-point mark, a feat he last achieved in 2022-23 with the Winnipeg Jets.

The Capitals have also handily won his minutes at five-on-five, dictating 56.6% of the shots, 58.6% of the expected goals, and 60.8% of the high-danger chances while outscoring teams 29-17, per Natural Stat Trick.

Washington has provided Dubois with a fresh start after a rocky 2023-24 season in Los Angeles.

The Kings landed him on an eight-year, $68-million extension in a sign-and-trade with the Winnipeg Jets in June 2023, but Dubois didn't meet expectations: He mustered just 40 points in 82 games and fell out of favor in the top six before being traded to the Capitals almost one year after he was acquired by Los Angeles.

Kings general manager Rob Blake took some of the blame for Dubois' disappointing stint in California, saying that "it wasn't a great fit."

The 26-year-old is tied for the team lead with 13 points in 15 games since Alex Ovechkin was injured in mid-November.

"I mean I think it's all the guys in here and the coaching staff, the confidence that they've put in me to just come in and be myself and just go play," he said when asked about his success. "I've been in situations with good players and I'm just having fun out there with everybody."

Dubois wasn't the only Capital facing off against his former team - defenseman Matt Roy spent the first six seasons of his career with the Kings.

"(Roy and Dubois are) unbelievable teammates, first of all," Washington forward Aliaksei Protas said. "They fit in right where we need them. ... We're so happy to have them. They look better in red, for sure."

Washington is Dubois' fourth team after he was drafted third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016. He requested a trade from both Columbus and Winnipeg.

Next up for the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals is a clash against the Boston Bruins on Monday.