Capitals Notebook: Aube-Kubel & Bear Odd Men Out As Lines Tweak With Milano Back, Team Still Has Faith In Playoff Push

The Capitals are headed to Montreal for a meeting with the Canadiens.

ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals expect to see Sonny Milano back in the mix for the first time in over two months this weekend, and it's a welcome sight as the team remains confident in its ability to make a final playoff push.

Washington's lines got a bit of a new look with Milano in the mix, as he toook the place of Nicolas Aube-Kubel on the forward lines. Tom Wilson has replaced Aube-Kubel on the identity fourth line and remained in that spot on Friday.

Aube-Kubel was the team's extra forward up front, while Matthew Phillips, who is on waivers, was not at practice as he awaits his next destination.

Meanwhile, the defensive pairings got a bit of a shakeup as Trevor van Riemsdyk slotted back in after missing the last handful of games due to illness.

Here are how the lines looked:

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-T.J. Oshie

Aliaksei Protas-Connor McMichael-Anthony Mantha

Max Pacioretty-Mike Sgarbossa-Sonny Milano

Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Tom Wilson

Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Martin Fehervary-John Carlson

Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen

Joel Edmundson-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Alex Alexeyev-Ethan Bear

Washington sits six points out of a playoff spot, and despite losing eight of the last nine decisions, the team is confident it is headed in the right direction.

"I think we've played good enough hockey to win those games; we just didn't," Nic Dowd said. "I think you know, we continue to kind of dig ourselves in a hole at critical parts of the game... other than that, I think we've played good hockey. I think our defensemen have played really, really good hockey and the boys played well, and I think our forwards are doing a good job."

The Capitals are headed to Montreal for a rematch with the Canadiens on Saturday before getting a couple of days off ahead of a meeting with the New Jersey Devils.