Capitals Daily Report: Caps Look to Steal a Game in the Steel City

Posted on May 1, 2017 by
Photo: @Capitals

The Capitals are staring at an 0-2 deficit and now return to a place where they haven’t won since December of 2015. Prior to tonight’s game, both teams held a morning skate to get ready for Game 3. The Capitals will look to get back in the series with a win tonight. Puck drop is at 7:30 PM. 

MORNING SKATE
Karl Alzner (upper body) once again skated with the team this morning and was in the extra defensive pair with Taylor Chorney. There weren’t any changes in the lineup. Paul Carey remained at right wing on the fourth line.

Capitals lines:
Forwards
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Burakovsky-Eller-Wilson
Winnik-Beagle-Carey

Defense
Orlov-Niskanen
Schmidt-Carlson
Orpik-Shattenkirk

The Capitals recalled Chandler Stephenson on Monday. More here.

After Braden Holtby got pulled last game, he will get the start tonight looking to rebound from the first two games of the series. Alzner didn’t stay out after the practice with the scratches and he will be participating in warmups tonight. Trotz said Alzner will be a game time decision and it’s to be determined if they will go with seven defensemen tonight. Washington also recalled Chandler Stephenson from Hershey.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Tom Kuhnhackl and Ron Hainsey were on the ice for the Penguins morning skate. Both players were injured in Game 2. Kuhnackl left the game with an undisclosed injury while Hainsey suffered an ear injury from blocking a shot by Ovechkin. Carl Hagelin, Patric Hornqvist, and Brian Dumoulin weren’t on the ice.

Kuhnhackl said he should be good to go tonight and that he got hurt from getting hit by a shot in a bad spot. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said Hagelin, Hornqvist, and Dumoulin will each be game-time decisions. Matt Murray skated this morning without equipment and Sullivan said that he’s done that a few times and the next step is skating in full gear.

Penguins lines:
Forwards
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Kunitz-Malkin-Kessel
Wilson-Bonino-Sheary
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Rowney

Defense
Hainsey-Matta (Daley rotating)
Ruhwedel-Cole (Schultz rotating)

SCENE FROM PITTSBURGH

DAILY LINKS
Game Notes at Pittsburgh, 5/1/17 (Capitals PR)
Caps Head to Pittsburgh Needing a Win in Game 3 (Mike Vogel)
With the Capitals reeling against Penguins, they turned to a players-only meeting (Isabelle Khurshudyan/Washington Post)
The Capitals head to Pittsburgh trailing 0-2. The worst thing they can do is panic. (Dan Steinberg)
Joe B Offers Words of Advice for Capitals Game 3 Against Pens (CSN)

SHAVINGS

  • During the last three seasons (2014-17), Braden Holtby has posted an 11-2-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.22 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage in games following a game when he is pulled.
  • Alex Ovechkin assisted on both Capitals goals in Game 2 on Saturday, marking his seventh career multi-assist playoff game. With his two assists, Ovechkin has passed Mike Ridley (41) for fifth place and Calle Johansson (42) for fourth place on the Capitals postseason assists list.
  • Nicklas Backstrom recorded two points (one goal, one assist) on Saturday against Pittsburgh, marking his third multi-point game of the postseason and 16th of his career.
  • T.J. Oshie recorded an assist on Saturday marking his ninth point in eight games this postseason (three goals, six assists).
  • Holtby has recorded four shutouts, a 1.98 goals-against average, and a .934 save percentage in 54 career playoff games.
  • Ovechkin has recorded 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 15 career playoff games against Pittsburgh and has earned a point in 13 of those 15 games.
  • Ovechkin has earned 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 14 career Game 3’s.
  • The Capitals have recorded 319 hits this postseason, ranking second in the NHL.

INTERVIEWS
Alex Ovechkin

Braden Holtby

Barry Trotz

CAPITALS IN THE COMMUNITY

By Michael Marzzacco

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