After a huge double overtime win Tuesday night and a well-deserved rest day on Wednesday, the Washington Capitals got back on the ice on Thursday morning for a morning skate at Nationwide Arena prior to Game 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Here is how the lineup looked based on the initial rushes at morning skate. There were a few changes among the forwards.
CAPS LINES
Forwards
#Caps lines at morning skate. DO NOT get mad at me.
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Stephenson-Backstrom-Boyd (Oshie maintenance)
Connolly-Eller-SmithPelly
Vrana-Beagle-Chiasson— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) April 19, 2018
Defense
#Caps d-pairs are the same as Game 3
Orlov-Niskanen
Kempny-Carlson
Orpik-Djoos— Brian McNally (@bmcnally14) April 19, 2018
Jakub Vrana and Chandler Stephenson have switched spots. Vrana has moved down to the fourth line while Stephenson moved up to the second line. For the second morning skate in a row, T.J. Oshie was not participating and took a maintenance day. I don’t suspect there’s any injury concerns with Oshie as he still played in Game 3. Travis Boyd once again was Oshie’s placeholder on the second line. Braden Holtby will start in goal for Game 4.
Working on getting even. #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/FAjEFf615K
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 19, 2018
UPDATE: Trotz said that T.J. Oshie will be in the lineup tonight.
Trotz said Oshie is in. Said not to read too much into Stephenson skating with the second line and Vrana going to the fourth line. He’d started to do that last game, and he wants more balance throughout the lineup.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 19, 2018
By Michael Marzzacco
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