The Capitals will see a new-look fourth line, which had found its identity in recent weeks, take the ice against the Sharks.
The Washington Capitals will look to get back to their winning ways on Monday as they kick off their California road trip against the San Jose Sharks, and they'll do so with some moderate tweaks made to the lineup.
Head coach Spencer Carbery is inserting Matthew Phillips and Hendrix Lapierre back into the lineup, and with those two drawing back in, Nicolas Aube-Kubel will be the only healthy scratch up front.
It is a significant move, as it will mark the first time since Nov. 10 that the identity fourth line will be separated following Aube-Kubel's resurgence following his cut from the team in training camp. Anthony Mantha, who was alternating with NAK at Sunday's skate, will draw into that spot alongside Nic Dowd and Beck Malenstyn.
Meanwhile, Lapierre will be the third-line center with Sonny Milano and Aliaksei Protas, and Connor McMichael will take Mantha's original spot on the second-line left wing while Phillips will play 2RW in T.J. Oshie's place. Oshie did not make the road trip after being injured in a collision with Mattias Ekholm in Friday's 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
In addition to those changes, the blue line will also see some tweaks with Martin Fehervary making his return to the lineup. It will mark the first time this season that the Capitals have all six of their regular defensemen available at the same time and in the lineup together.
Here are the expected lines vs. SJ:
Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Tom Wilson
Connor McMichael-Dylan Strome-Matthew Phillips
Sonny Milano-Hendrix Lapierre-Aliaksei Protas
Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Anthony Mantha
Martin Fehervary-John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen
Joel Edmundson-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper will get the start in goal against the Sharks. Charlie Lindgren had started on Friday, stopping 25 of 30 shots in a tough outing for the entire group.
Puck drop is at 10:30 p.m. at SAP Center.