Here's what to know as the Capitals prep for the Penguins..
The Washington Capitals are in for a big game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and will get Tom Wilson back, but at the same time, they will again be missing T.J. Oshie.
Wilson is set to return after serving a six-game suspension for high-sticking Noah Gregor. Oshie, meanwhile, will not play due to an upper-body injury, and he will not be playing in the second game of the back-to-back on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes, per head coach Spencer Carbery.
Carbery said that "hopefully" Oshie is progressing and working toward a return this season but will not be in for the next two games.
Meanwhile, Charlie Lindgren will get the start against the Penguins, while Darcy Kuemper is expected to be well enough to suit up after being banged up during Wednesday's optional skate, considering D.C. didn't make a recall.
Per Monumental Sports Network's Tarik El-Bashir, Kuemper made it through morning skate fine and is feeling better.
The assumption is that Kuemper will start on Friday against the Hurricanes.
Here are the projected lines against the Penguins:
Alex Ovechkin-Connor McMichael-Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas-Dylan Strome-Ivan Miroshnichenko
Max Pacioretty-Hendrix Lapierre-Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Mike Sgarbossa
Martin Fehervary-John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen
Alex Alexeyev-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Charlie Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Carbery also noted that the energy at morning skate was good, and that the team seems invested and buying in going into a game that's earned the title of the "biggest game of the year."
"I felt good energy today. I felt like the meeting, everybody pretty focused. I would agree with that and the morning skate as well," Carbery said.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena.