Here's everything to know as the Capitals prepare to face the Blue Jackets.
WASHINGTON — After passing a true test against the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, the Washington Capitals are looking to keep their foot on the gas, and they'll have quite a few injured names back too as they face the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Here is everything to know before puck drop at 7:30 p.m. at Capital One Arena.
Capitals Lines & Injury Report
Washington's lineup remains very much up in the air for Saturday, though the team knows that they are getting three key players back from injury in Joel Edmundson, Anthony Mantha and Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Edmundson will make his Capitals debut after missing the start of the season due to a broken hand sustained in a training camp scrimmage. Mantha, meanwhile, returns after missing the last three games due to a ruptured eardrum, and van Riemsdyk will also slot back in exactly two weeks after suffering an injury against the same team he's facing on Saturday.
While Washington will see some players return, the team will see others sit this one out. Martin Fehervary (lower-body) will miss his third straight game after suffering a lower-body injury against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 10. Evgeny Kuznetsov will also miss Saturday's tilt due to an illness.
With Kuznetsov out, Hendrix Lapierre will draw in at center, while Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson will also have a new pivot. Meanwhile, Matthew Phillips will be a healthy scratch with Mantha returning.
On the blue line, Alex Alexeyev is the lone healthy scratch, as Lucas Johansen is likely to remain in his top-pairing spot alongside John Carlson. Dylan McIlrath and Hardy Häman Aktell were returned to the AHL's Hershey Bears with Edmundson and van Riemsdyk, who will be paired together, ready to go.
Here are the lines:
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson
Anthony Mantha-Connor McMichael-T.J. Oshie
Sonny Milano-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Aliaksei Protas
Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Lucas Johansen-John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen
Joel Edmundson-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Charlie Lindgren will make his second straight start and third in four games, with Darcy Kuemper backing up.
Capitals Keys To Success
Washington will have to get the power play going, but it won't be an easy task against the Blue Jackets despite their struggles. The Capitals' man advantage ranks dead-last in the league (7.3 percent), and Columbus has the NHL's fourth-best penalty kill (87.8).
The other side of special teams will be vital for D.C., too. Washington has figured things out on the PK, killing off all 20 penalties against over the last eight games. It'll be key against a Blue Jackets team with a lot of offense, including the likes of Patrik Laine, Johnny Gaudreau and Adam Fantilli.
Then, there's getting goals at even strength. The Capitals continue to struggle here, but it's starting to come together as time goes on.
On defense, look for Edmundson to do what he does best: intimidate the opposition and serve as a mean physical presence. Columbus is a strong team off the rush, and shutting its top assets down will be huge. Some extra grit should help, too, as Washington has taken just as many hits as it's given so far.
And on top of all that, if Lindgren can maintain the high level of play he's been providing, all the better.
Capitals Players To Watch
- Beck Malenstyn is on a three-game point streak, and the fourth line has combined for seven points over the last three outings.
- Rasmus Sandin has assists in three straight games and four of his last five overall.
- Connor McMichael has points in three of his last four outings and four points over that span.
- Sonny Milano has points in two of his last three games and had one of the two goals against Columbus, his original team, on Nov. 4.
- John Carlson leads all NHLers in time on ice per game, averaging 26:23 minutes a night.