Capitals Daily News: Ready for the Bolts

Photo: @Capitals

The Caps held an optional skate at 10:30 this morning, in advance of their game against the lightning tonight at Verizon center. Puck drop 7:00PM. This is the final game before the NHL holiday break. The Capitals will return to action Tuesday night in Brooklyn when they visit the Islanders.

OPTIONAL SKATE
Ten players, mostly the young whippersnappers and Brooks Orpik, managed to make it to the optional skate this morning:

At the optional skate: both goalies, 10, 83, 26, 43, 65, 82, 13, 4, 88, 44.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 23, 2016

LINES
The starting lines for tonight will undergo a few minor adjustments from the previous game, mostly to get guys some playing time. Brett Connolly will replace Daniel Winnik and Taylor Chorney will play for Nate Schmidt:

Schmidt is taking the scratches’ skate. So looks like Chorney is on D tonight. #CapsBolts

— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikCSN) December 23, 2016

Braden Holtby was the first goalie off the ice this morning, signifying he will get the start tonight against Tampa Bay.

#Caps Andre Burakovsky chats with Braden Holtby at this morning’s optional skate. They take on Tampa Bay tonight. pic.twitter.com/mC592U382B

— Kendall Griggs (@KgriggsPhoto) December 23, 2016

CAPS LINKS
Caps Come Back Home to Host Bolts (Mike Vogel)
Game Preview: Caps Host Lightning Before the Christmas Break
SKATE SHAVINGS: News and Notes From Caps’ Morning Skate (Mike Vogel)

SHAVINGS

Washington has won 11 of its last 13 home games against Tampa Bay.
the Capitals have earned a point in six consecutive games against the Lightning (5-0-1) and in 12 of their last 13 games against Tampa Bay (10-1-2).
Shootout poll results:

INTERVIEWS
Barry Trotz

#Caps head coach Barry Trotz talks to the media prior to tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. #CapsBolts #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/wPKHQzJPMg

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 23, 2016

Brett Connolly

Brett Connolly talks one-on-one with @VogsCaps to talk about his return to the lineup tonight to face the Tampa Bay Lightning. #CapsBolts pic.twitter.com/P7CZo3MaeJ

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 23, 2016

Two-Man Advantage

.@VogsCaps and @WaltonCaps with the Two-Man Advantage previewing tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. #CapsBolts #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/DQSU52CMHf

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 23, 2016

CAPITALS IN THE COMMUNITY

@JoeBpXp Great chatting after practice….keep rockin’ the ties!!! #kettlericeplex #caps pic.twitter.com/4MvQOggDN1

— Lillian Del Priore (@LillDel) December 23, 2016

RELEASE: #Caps to Host Blood Drive Jan. 28 @KettlerIceplex: https://t.co/3Mwxyz30nq
Appointments Required: https://t.co/p5U94UzAlf pic.twitter.com/6FeVUBsmz8

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 23, 2016

View this post on Instagram

The next chapter in Braden Holtby's mask art saga is here📕. It is such a joy to create a mask story from mask to mask and evolve it through the years. Braden and I have been working together for many years🦅👍🏻. This new design goes in the wellknown Holtby style, and here created in a subtle vintage style. And the closer you come the more details you will discover🔍 and the mask transforms in front of your eyes👀 into a true Storyteller mask📕. For sure it is also loaded with all the DaveArt Trademark Super FX✨. It is so exciting to be your personal artist Braden, thank you! 🙏🏻😊🎨 #holtby #holtbeast #DaveArt #nhl #DaveArtCreativity @nhl @capitals

A post shared by David Gunnarsson (@daveart) on Dec 23, 2016 at 11:43am PST