Finally! After starting the season with back-to-back games, the Capitals have sat idle for a good part of a week, having five full days to sit and contemplate who exactly makes up the NHL schedule, and if they have a drinking problem.
The Capitals return to action tonight when they host the Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is 8:00 PM (Game preview here). Here are the news and notes from this mornings game-day skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Morning Lines:
Newly acquired forward Dmitrij Jaskin and defenseman Michal Kempny will make their 2018-2019 season debut tonight against Vegas. Jaskin will take left wing on the fourth line, and Kempny will rejoin John Carlson on the top defensive pairing. Nathan Walker and Madison Bowey look to be the scratches. Here are your lines and pairs for tonight’s Stanley Cup Final rematch:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Connolly
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Stephenson
Jaskin-Dowd-DSP
Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Djoos
Tom Wilson Update
Per TSN’s BobMcKenzie, Tom Wilson’s hearing with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to be next week. The process isn’t necessarily over with Bettman’s ruling. Wilson could then choose to appeal to a neutral arbitrator.
Bettman has heard 6 appeals since 2012:
Upheld Vermette 10 games in 2017
Upheld Wideman 20 games in 2016
Reduced Carcillo 10 games to 6 in 2014
Upheld Thornton 15 games in 2013
Upheld Kaleta 10 games in 2013
Reduced Torres 25 games to 21 in 2012— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) October 5, 2018
Game Notes
Braden Holtby and Marc-Andre Fleury look to get the start tonight. Both have less than sparkling numbers, but Holtby’s numbers are a little more exaggerated, giving up seven goals against the Penguins in the second game of a back-to-back and pitching a shutout in the season opener against Boston.
#CapsKnights goaltender matchup: Braden Holtby – 1-0-1, 3.47 GAA, .894 sv% in net for the defending champs #ALLCAPS. Marc-Andre Fleury – 1-2-0, 3.92 GAA, .841 sv% goes for the “runner-up” Knights. Puck drop 8:00pm. #Capitals #VGK
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) October 10, 2018
Special Teams Adjustments:
It looks like Jaskin will also replace Nathan Walker on the penalty kill. The Capitals have a 75% success rate on the PK after two games.
It’s practice, but Jaskin is PKing with Stephenson. Wouldn’t be surprised if we see that tonight.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 10, 2018
By Jon Sorensen
