Capitals vs. Rangers: Projected Lines, Injury Report, Storylines & Full Preview

WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals are back and looking to end a three-game slide, but it'll be challenge against the red-hot New York Rangers, led by ex-head coach Peter Laviolette.

Here's everything to know before puck drop at 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena.

Washington will see T.J. Oshie return to the mix after missing the last six games with an upper-body injury, and he will also be on the top power-play unit as the Capitals look to continue to gain momentum at 5-on-4. With Oshie back in, Hendrix Lapierre has been returned to the AHL's Hershey Bears.

Meanwhile, Sonny Milano will also make his return to action following a healthy scratch, which head coach Spencer Carbery hopes will spark a struggling No. 15.

Charlie Lindgren gets the start in goal, marking his first time facing his brother and New York Rangers blueliner Ryan Lindgren at the NHL level.

Here are the projected line combinations; the team did not run lines at the morning skate.

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson

Sonny Milano-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie

Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha

Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Joel Edmundson-Nick Jensen

Charlie Lindgren

Darcy Kuemper

With Oshie back, the only two injured Capitals players remaining are Max Pacioretty and Nicklas Backstrom.

Pacioretty is getting closer, though, and joined the group for the first time on Saturday as he took part in the morning skate in a non-contact jersey. Head coach Spencer Carbery expects him back in the lineup within 2-3 weeks. It will be his first NHL game since re-tearing his right Achilles just five months after surgery on Jan. 19.

Backstrom remains on an indefinite leave of absence from the game of hockey due to issues related to his hip. The Swede's hip has not responded the way he'd hoped to hip resurfacing surgery, leading him to step away after dressing for eight games to start the season. He remains around the team and facility and has not made any decision regarding his future.

Washington will have to hunker down big time against the Rangers, who average 3.38 goals per game (ninth most in the league) and have a lot in their arsenal, including Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. Their power play is also the third-best in th league, operating at 29.7 percent.

So, it'll be up to Lindgren and the blue line to hold down the fort

And of course, the hunt for offense continues. Alex Ovechkin has gone eight games without a goal, and Dylan Strome is the only player to hit double digits in goals this season. New York gives up just 2.50 goals per game, so solving Igor Shesterkin, getting pucks on net and getting contributions from down the lineup — including on the blue line, as defensemen have accounted for just two goals this season — will be key.

- Lindgren's sibling rivalry showdown is a big deal, but not just because he is facing his brother; it's because Carbery trusts him to help shut down one of the NHL's top teams, meaning that he could be starting to lock down a starting role.

- Strome hit 100 career goals on Thursday, while Ovechkin hit 1,500 NHL points.

- Kuznetsov will look to continue building on his game, as he had a goal and seemed to turn things on after his healthy scratch.

- Jensen stayed on for extra work at morning skate, but is in the lineup and is looking to improve his game after a bit of a rough start to the year.

- Laviolette makes his return to Capital One Arena for the first time since he and the team decided to part ways at the end of the last season. The move has worked for both sides.