The Washington Capitals hit the ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Friday morning to prepare for their second matchup this week with the Columbus Blue Jackets. After defeating the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night in thrilling fashion, the Capitals look to complete the back-to-back sweep tonight in front of their home fans. Here are the news and notes from Friday’s morning skate.
THE MORNING LINES
Forwards
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Oshie
Connolly-Eller-Chiasson
Stephenson-Beagle-Smith-Pelly
Defense
Orlov-Niskanen
Djoos-Carlson
Orpik-Bowey
NEWS
Andre Burakovsky, on his 23rd birthday, will be scratched from tonight’s lineup for the sixth time in the last 15 games.
This would be 6 scratches for #Caps F Andre Burakovsky in 15 games. At least two of those he was sick. So call it 4 of 15 if he doesn’t play tonight vs. Columbus.
— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) February 9, 2018
Burakovsky has struggled this season and on Tuesday’s game only played a total of 6:34 and sat out the entire third period. With only four goals and seven assists this season, Burakovsky and the Capitals are looking for a solution in his game.
“Andre is gonna be a guy we need down the stretch… He needs to just find his game a little bit and it’s been a struggle for his this year for the most part,” Trotz said on Thursday.
Braden Holtby was the first goalie off the ice. He is expected to start tonight. Holtby comes into Friday’s contest with a 27-10-2 record with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. During Tuesday’s win, Holtby stopped 37-of-39 shots, good for a .949 save percentage.
SHAVINGS
- Washington holds a 21-7-1-4 record all-time against Columbus and a 11-2-1-2 record vs. Columbus at Capital One Arena.
- Evgeny Kuznetsov has six assists in his last five games and is on a five-game assist streak, which his the longest assist streak by a Capital this season.
- Christian Djoos has recorded an assist in four straight games, tied with John Carlson for the longest assist streak by a Capitals defenseman this season.
- Tom Wilson scored his seventh goal of the season on Tuesday night at Columbus, tying his single-season high that he set in the 2015-16 season and the 2016-17 season in 33 fewer games.
- Wilson’s 22 points this season (7 goals, 15 assists) are just one shy of his single-season high set in 2015-16. Wilson is on a 37-point pace.
- The Capitals have earned a point in 11 of their last 12 games against the Blue Jackets (9-1-2) and in 20 of their last 24 games against Columbus (16-4-4).
- Nicklas Backstrom has 24 points (7 goals, 17 assists) in 27 career games against Columbus.
- Alex Ovechkin has 15 goals in 28 career games vs. the Blue Jackets.
CAPS TODAY
CAPS TODAY: Tom Wilson has tied his single season high in goals in 33 fewer games, and he’s tied with Connor McDavid and Nico Hischier in penalties drawn this season. He and the Caps take on the Blue Jackets tonight. https://t.co/JaDcQxYCZc pic.twitter.com/BBYjEe1UVn
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 9, 2018
GAME NOTES
GAME NOTES: The Caps wrap up their home and home series with the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena on Friday. https://t.co/zQUZnuoWYv pic.twitter.com/EkrXx7q4HT
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 9, 2018
CAPS RED LINE
What a game for the @Capitals in the first of this home-and-home series with Columbus. Break down Backy’s 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣th goal & #CapsJackets tonight in #CapsRedLine.
Puck drop at 7:00 pm on @NBCSWashington. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/XFZD8i3g1o
— MonumentalSportsNet (@MonSportsNet) February 9, 2018
CAPITALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
#HoltBeast tn. #CapsJackets pic.twitter.com/q7ATBA6wUZ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 9, 2018
By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo
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