Photo: A Winning Habit

The Washington Capitals will begin a set of back-to-backs for the first time this preseason on Thursday night as the team takes on the Montreal Canadiens at Videotron Center in Quebec City. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Washington starting at 7 PM. Here is all of the news heading into the game: 

The team practiced at 10 AM at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia before flying up to Quebec City.

Last season’s first line of captain Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, and winger Tom Wilson will each make their 2018-19 debuts tonight and will play together on the first line again. In addition, defensemen Brooks Orpik, Christian Djoos, and Michal Kempny and forwards Andre Burakovsky and Brett Connolly are the other who will also be in the lineup from the Stanley Cup Champion team last spring.

Top line back together tonight #CapsHabs #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/MzoSeyWgmI

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 20, 2018

Center Jayson Megna will get his third consecutive preseason game after appearing in both of the Capitals’ games against the Boston Bruins.

Jayson Megna making his third appearance in as many preseason games for Capitals. Getting along look.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) September 20, 2018

Former Capitals’ forward Joel Ward, who is on a professional tryout with Montreal, will be in the lineup against his old teammates on Thursday.

Joel Ward in the lineup for Montreal against the #Caos tonight.

— JJ Regan (@JJReganNBCS) September 20, 2018

Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek will likely split playing time in goal for Washington like last Sunday when the team lost 2-1 in a shootout against the Bruins.

Reirden told reporters that forward Sergei Shumakov will make his debut tomorrow night when the team takes on the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

Caps coach Todd Reirden said they had hoped to get Sergei Shumakov in the lineup tonight in Quebec City but were some travel/work issues there for him.

So, Shumakov will make his NHL preseason debut at Carolina on Friday.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) September 20, 2018

Capitals’ Lineup vs. Canadiens

Tonight’s preseason lineup in Quebec City #CapsHabs pic.twitter.com/Djwr9JFVCS

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 20, 2018

Canadiens’ Lineup vs. Capitals

#Habs vs #Capitals in Quebec:
Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Hudon – Kotkaniemi – Lehkonen
Chaput – Peca – Ward
De la Rose – Vejdemo – Alain

Moravcik – Schlemko
Ouellet – Depres
Valiev – Sklenicka

Lindgren
McNiven

— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) September 20, 2018

By Harrison Brown