The Washington Capitals hit the ice on Saturday morning at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in front of a packed house. As fans young and old checked out their team up close, the Capitals were hard at work preparing to even the series Sunday afternoon in Game 2. There was one familiar face that made an appearance that fans haven’t seen at practice in a while.
TJ Oshie is here!! #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/XnoIIRo62C
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 28, 2018
For the first time since Game 2 of the first round, T.J. Oshie was on the ice practicing with the Capitals. Ever since Game 3’s morning skate of the Capitals first round playoff series against the Blue Jackets, Oshie hasn’t practiced, but still played in each game of round one and Game 1 of the second round against the Penguins on Thursday night. Oshie was back in his familiar spot on the second line and there were no changes to the lineup from Game 1:
Forwards
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Stephenson-Backstrom-Oshie
Connolly-Eller-Smith Pelly
Vrana-Beagle-Chiasson
Defense
Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Djoos
Oshie looked like his normal self out there. He enters Game 2 with four points in the playoffs, three goals and one assist. His last goal came in Game 5 of the first round. He also scored a clutch goal in Game 2 of that series that sent the Capitals to overtime.
👋 Oshie #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/m7ogOd0zcu
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 28, 2018
Oshie also practiced with the top power play unit.
Oshie nearly scores on the power play drills. Maybe he’ll get one tomorrow #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/AKOiGkaAZJ
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 28, 2018
The team said that those practices that Oshie missed were “maintenance days”. If the Capitals want to square this series with the Penguins tomorrow, and ultimately get over that hump, they need everybody “all in”. Even though it’s not a game, having Oshie at practice is vital and is a good sign that this team is dialed in for the challenge at hand.
By Michael Marzzacco
Follow @marswaggo
“Maintenance Day” — the going hockey euphamism for minor ailment. It seems like the English translation for similar reports on Montreal Canadiens refers to them as “Therapy Days”
We’ve got this.
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