Photo: @Capitals
The Washington Capitals returned to the ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday morning to prepare for their final two games of the regular season. Fresh off a back-to-back road sweep in Pittsburgh and St. Louis and the Metropolitan Division all wrapped up, the Caps look to give some of the young guys on the team some additional playing time while giving a breather to some of the veterans. One young prospect made his Capitals practice debut fresh after signing an entry level contract. Here’s more on what happened today, direct from the rink.
CAPS LINES
Forwards
Connolly-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Burakovsky-Backstrom-Oshie
Gersich-Eller-DSP
Stephenson-Boyd-Chiasson
Defense
Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Djoos
Extra D-Pair: Jerabek-Bowey
NEWS
The Capitals signed forward Brian Pinho to a two-year entry level contract on Wednesday morning. There was a report on Tuesday that a deal was in the works and it became official today. The deal will be worth an average annual value of $833,750. Pinho just recently completed his college hockey career with Providence College. He was on the ice for practice wearing the number 64. This move gives the Capitals four extra forwards and two extra defensemen on the roster. Pinho and Jakub Vrana were the extra forwards at practice
Brian Pinho, fresh off signing a two-year entry level deal, reported to the #Caps this morning pic.twitter.com/sQRb477s1X
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
Alex Ovechkin wasn’t at practice, taking a maintenance day while Jay Beagle remained out with an upper-body injury. Beagle is listed as day-to-day. Taking Ovecechkin’s spot on the top line was Brett Connolly.
Capitals head coach Barry Trotz mentioned that Ovechkin’s maintenance day is related to his tumble into the boards during the first period of Monday’s game. Trotz also said that Ovechkin skated earlier in the day and a decision will be made tomorrow as to whether or not he will play in that night’s game. As for Beagle, Trotz said that he won’t play tomorrow.
Travis Boyd and Madison Bowey both were called up from Hershey yesterday. Boyd was centering the fourth line as Chandler Stephenson moved to the left wing spot while Bowey was an extra defender paired up with Jakub Jerabek.
Welcome back @m_bows4 & @Tboyd93 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/v3BkxTu2e5
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 4, 2018
T.J. Oshie practiced Wednesday after sitting out Monday’s game in St. Louis to reset a lower-body issue. He was back at his familiar spot on the second line with Nicklas Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky.
If the playoffs began today, the Capitals would be facing the New Jersey Devils, who currently sit at the first wild card spot. Washington is 2-0-1 against New Jersey this season and these two teams will meet on Saturday night at Capital One Arena in the final game of the regular season. Prior to Saturday’s game the Devils will host the Maple Leafs Thursday night at “The Rock”.
Trotz compared the Stanley Cup playoffs to prom night, “You’re invited to the party and at the end of the party you hope you’re the king and queen of the prom.”
No Caps report is complete these days without the goaltending battle for who starts in the playoffs. Trotz said his plan for Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer is to split them in the final two regular season games. Trotz didn’t indicate who gets the net Thursday.
PRACTICE VIDEO
Another look at the new guy.
Another look at Pinho #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/4UrJk0xo25
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
3-on-2 drills with the Hershey connection of Boyd to Stephenson. Stephenson scores.
3-on-2’s coming your way with a Hershey connection. Travis Boyd finds Chandler Stephenson for the goal #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/LU3OkfswuG
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
5-on-5 scrimmage.
Scrimmage time! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/jnmRwXKzPX
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
In the special teams drills last week, Shane Gersich was practicing on the second penalty kill unit. Today, he was on the top PK unit.
Last week, Shane Gersich was on the second PK unit. Today he got time on the top PK #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/hr8SrkUqiu
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
Welcome back, Madison Bowey!
Welcome back Madison Bowey! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/dBZ3h4af2r
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
Even though Vrana was an extra forward, it didn’t keep him from smiling.
A Jakub Vrana snapshot, and a smile 😃#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/gU0uenyYOP
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
Andre Burakovsky and Tom Wilson: the best bromance in all of hockey.
I challenge you to find a better bromance than Tom Wilson and Andre Burakovsky #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/50ysPMVgDP
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
At the tail end of practice all four young forwards (Stephenson, Gersich, Vrana, and Boyd) each took part in a shooting and rebounding drill with a small goal net in the middle. We have more scenes from this drill here.
The Mitch Korn school of props is back in session! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/JCY2tEO280
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 4, 2018
SHAVINGS
- The Capitals have had 11 different players with double-digit goals scored both this season and last season. In 2016-17, the Capitals’ 11 double-digit goal scorers accumulated a total of 220 goals, 84.3 percent of the Capitals’ total goals. This season, the Capitals 11 double-digit goal scorers have accumulated 205 goals, 82.7 percent of the Capitals total goals.
- Of the Capitals 11 double-digit goal scorers, seven have scored more this season than they did last season (Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Lars Eller, John Carlson, Tom Wilson, Jakub Vrana, Dmitry Orlov).
- Andre Burakovsky is one goal shy of tying his 2016-17 output of 12 goals, and if he scores a goal within the Caps next two games, he’ll tie his 2016-17 total in eight-fewer games.
CAPS TODAY
CAPS TODAY: The Capitals have 11 different players with double-digit goal totals this season, the exact same amount of double-digit goal scorers they had last season. https://t.co/PI1Oi9P6UK pic.twitter.com/RxdewCIi4H
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 4, 2018
INTERVIEWS
“We’ll see where he is tomorrow.” — Barry Trotz on Alex Ovechkin, who went hard into the boards on Monday night. The #Caps’ captain took a maintenance day today. pic.twitter.com/YFeuaPvwrd
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) April 4, 2018
“I think I’ve developed into a good two-way forward.” — Brian Pinho on his development. He also tells us what his hardest class at Providence College has been this semester. #Caps pic.twitter.com/axhBNzTZyq
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) April 4, 2018
Caps 365 | “I still have the draft jersey framed in my room. I look at it every day. It’s a dream of mine to play for the Caps…” #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/fnayzLEWAI
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 4, 2018
CAPITALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Capitals 2013 draft pick Brian Pinho, signed by the Capitals out of Providence College this morning, addressing the media following today’s practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. pic.twitter.com/e0ul87Piyj
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 4, 2018
It’s business as usual for the @Capitals heading into the playoffs… but this time @SnoopDogg is joining them. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ZyWLYh8voY
— NHL (@NHL) April 4, 2018
By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo
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