The Capitals hit the Kettler ice on Wednesday morning to prepare for tonight’s game with the Chicago Blackhawks. Tonight will be the fourth game of a season-long five game homestead for the Capitals. Washington has won five of their last six games and currently sits a point behind the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Here are the news and the notes from today’s morning skate, direct from Kettler Capitals Iceplex.
LINES
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Chiasson
Connolly-Eller-Boyd
Stephenson-Beagle-DSP
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Carlson
Djoos-Bowey
NEWS
Tyler Graovac is a healthy scratch. Chandler Stephenson has healed from his upper-body injury that he suffered on Saturday night and will play in tonight’s game. After Madison Bowey‘s wrist was slashed from Brenden Dillion, Dillion has been suspended for one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Bowey was okay the last two skates and will play tonight.
“It’s fine. It’s just a good bruise,” Bowey told the media.
INJURY UPDATES
T.J. Oshie won’t play tonight after his head was smashed on the boards by Joe Thornton Monday night. Trotz said that he’s making progress, working with trainers, and is feeling better but there’s no guarantee he laces up his skates and practices tomorrow.
Andre Burakovsky had another good skate with the team today and put in some extra work following the morning skate.
Burakovsky putting in extra work after the morning skate. Don’t worry #Caps fans, he gets back up and smiles pic.twitter.com/C6mA6CT03W
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Don’t worry fans, he’s okay. He smiled as he got back up. Burakovsky was a part of the scratch’s skate along with Graovac and Taylor Chorney.
Burakovsky isn’t suiting up tonight against the #Blackhawks but he’s getting close. He’s battling hard this morning with Graovac and Chorney, both of whom are also out. #Capspic.twitter.com/8N7jgYNmio
— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikNBCS) December 6, 2017
Trotz said after practice that Burakovsky hasn’t been cleared to play yet but there is a possibility that he plays on Friday.
T.J. Oshie (upper body/day-to-day) did not take the morning skate and won’t face the #Blackhawks. He did work w/ #Caps trainers this a.m. and will do so again tonight. Still unclear when he’ll return to the ice. Andre Burakovsky could return as soon as Friday vs. the #Rangers. pic.twitter.com/ISIWyLQEnL
— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikNBCS) December 6, 2017
PRACTICE VIDEO
Andre Burakovsky, Chandler Stephenson, and Travis Boyd were the first forwards out on the ice prior to morning skate.
Andre Burakovsky, Chandler Stephenson, and Travis Boyd are the first forwards on the ice prior to morning skate. #CapsHawks tonight #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/EUVwFIUSzs
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Burakovsky feeding Boyd the puck as he works on puck deflections before the rest of the team comes out.
Burakovsky feeding Boyd the puck as he’s working on deflections in front of the net pic.twitter.com/tj7oojz5D5
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Braden Holtby is in the starter’s net, indicating he’ll get the nod in goal tonight. Here he stops Nicklas Backstrom.
The #Holtbeast is in the starter’s net. Here he stops Nicklas Backstrom pic.twitter.com/ZYenG6KZfO
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
A closer look at the #2 power play unit. After the unit scored their first goal of the season Monday night, will they find the back of the net tonight?
A closer look at the #Caps #2 power play unit. The unit scored their first goal of the season on Monday night. Will they find the back of the net in #CapsHawks tonight? pic.twitter.com/gTWOactUFI
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Here’s the top power play unit.
Now a look at the top power play unit pic.twitter.com/8bD9FxSEhE
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
The forwards worked on traffic around the net. Burakovsky was flying at game speed and scores a goal here on Philipp Grubauer.
As the #Caps work on traffic around the net Burakovsky breaks through pic.twitter.com/XemFOa9ZUk
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
The defense worked on their one-timers.
One-timers pic.twitter.com/EC8kZftxfz
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Then the forwards did some backhand shots. Here are some backhanders by Devante Smith-Pelly.
DSP backhanders pic.twitter.com/i6DtUGQJ1Z
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Brett Connolly and Jakub Vrana working on their shots.
Brett Connolly and Jakub Vrana working on their shots pic.twitter.com/ZOntCFFn8R
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
NO RUSSIA IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS?
The Russian Olympic team has been banned from the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has done some investigating and handed Russia penalties for doping. Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov weren’t going to participate in the Olympics anyway since the NHL said that players aren’t allowed to but they weigh in after hearing this news regarding their native country.
Kuznetsov and Ovechkin both said they think Russians should still go to the Olympics, even if it means playing under a neutral flag.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 6, 2017
#Caps Evgeny Kuznetsov says he thinks Russian athletes should still go to the Olympics, even if it means competing under a neutral flag. pic.twitter.com/jfqlnYmQ8f
— Tarik El-Bashir (@TarikNBCS) December 6, 2017
Alex Ovechkin on the I.O.C. decision to ban Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/de5Cb7xtf6
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 6, 2017
SHAVINGS
- Tonight is the first of two meetings between the Capitals and Blackhawks this season.
- Washington is 42-41-11-1 all-time against Chicago and 27-15-5-1 at home.
- The Capitals haven’t committed more than three penalties in game in their past six games. (Brian McNally)
- Since November, the Capitals are 11-5-0, a stretch that is good for a 113-point pace over the course of a full regular season.
- The Capitals 22 points since November rank as the third-most in the NHL, and the most in the Eastern Conference.
- The Capitals have converted on 30.8 percent of their power play opportunities (4-for-13) over their last four games, tied for the fourth-highest success rate during that span and a 9.7 percent increase over the season average prior to the stretch.
- Since entering the league in 2010-11, Braden Holtby co-leads NHL goaltenders in save percentage at home (.927) and is tied for third in goals against average (2.14) among goalies with at least 100 starts on home ice.
- Washington has won six of it’s last seven games against Chicago and has posted a 9-3-0 record in it’s last 12 games against the Blackhawks.
CAPS RED LINE
Find a bud – give ’em a fist bump 🤜🤛 – it’s rivalry night on December 6th!
The No. 6️⃣ carries plenty of importance in #CapsHawks tonight. Find out why in #CapsRedLine and tune in on @NBCSWashington at 8:00 pm.#ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/RXLHYc9rpq
— MonumentalSportsNet (@MonSportsNet) December 6, 2017
RINSIDE UPDATE: DSP
Rinkside Update | Devante Smith-Pelly breaks down his playing style with @vogscaps. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ARBj5h7MdW
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 6, 2017
CAPITALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Happy 31st Nisky! 🎉🎈#ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/ytX6ZvgjtD
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 6, 2017
This looks like a great #ALLCAPS addition to the top of any Christmas tree! 🎄Now available at @ShopKettlerCaps at @KettlerIceplex pic.twitter.com/KLSq0XTkTP
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
SCENES FROM KETTLER
#Caps fans, remember that one time #CapsHawks was played in the great outdoors? pic.twitter.com/xlqSVY5zNs
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 6, 2017
Alex Ovechkin is alone on the bench, waiting for morning skate to begin.
Madison Bowey lines up a one-timer.
Devante Smith-Pelly fires at the net.
Jakub Vrana: hockey player and ladies’ man.
The Capitals take on the Blackhawks tonight with puck drop at 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on the NBC Sports Network as part of “Wednesday Night Rivalry”. The Caps will return to Kettler on Thursday for practice at 11:30 a.m.
By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo
Very nice work on this news and notes. Thanks for all of the videos and photos.
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