Here's everything to know before the Capitals take on the Sharks.
The Washington Capitals are back in action on Sunday, and the lineup will look slightly different as they play host to the struggling San Jose Sharks.
Washington (3-3-1) recalled Hendrix Lapierre for the meeting with the Sharks (0-7-1) Sunday, and the 21-year-old will draw in and play his first NHL game since 2021. Meanwhile, Matthew Phillips will shift up as the bottom 6 changes amid Lapierre's recall and Nic Dowd's subsequent move to the injured reserve.
Here's everything to know before puck drop.
Washington Capitals Lines & Injury Updates
Lapierre will draw in with Sonny Milano out with an illness that also held him off the ice on Saturday. Nic Dowd, in turn, is on the IR and will be "a little bit" as he works his way back from an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, Charlie Lindgren (upper-body) has been activated from the IR and will back up on Sunday.
Here are the lines:
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson
Connor McMichael-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie
Anthony Mantha-Nicklas Backstrom-Matthew Phillips
Beck Malenstyn-Hendrix Lapierre-Aliaksei Protas
Martin Fehervary-John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Hardy Häman Aktell-Nick Jensen
Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
Washington Capitals Keys To Success
Special teams won Friday's game against the Minnesota Wild, as did tight defense and strong goaltending. The power play has goals in three straight games, and the penalty kill has been finding its rhythm and managed a shorthanded goal.
Those will be key again as the Sharks seek win No. 1 of the season. San Jose's penalty kill (74.2) ranks 20th, and the power play is operating at just 12.5 percent (eighth-worst).
In addition, the team needs to capitalize at 5-on-5. The Sharks give up the fourth-most goals per game (3.88) in the league, and the team can capitalize here.
Washington Capitals Players To Watch
- Dylan Strome has four goals in his last three games.
- Alex Ovechkin is on a five-game point streak.
- Connor McMichael and Evgeny Kuznetsov have points in back-to-back games.
- Tom Wilson is on a three-game point streak and has points in four of his last five games overall.