The Washington Capitals skated at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Monday morning prior to their game against the Edmonton Oilers at Capital One Arena tonight. Puck drop is at 7 PM and the game will be televised on NBC Sports Washington. Here is all of the news going into the game: 

Forward Dmitrij Jaskin skated on the top line with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin after having a solid performance in the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. With Jaskin moving up, forward Jakub Vrana got demoted to the fourth-line.

Vrana coming off the top line tonight was probably inevitable if Caps are going to play Kuznetsov head to head with McDavid.

Jaskin is more defensively responsible and has some similarities to Wilson, so looking at him on that line tonight makes some sense. https://t.co/TMIjLJjhn3

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) November 5, 2018

Goaltender Pheonix Copley will start against the Oilers. He made 28 saves for his first NHL win in his most recent start, a 4-3 shootout win over the Calgary Flames last Saturday.

Copley confirmed he is starting for Capitals tonight vs. Edmonton.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) November 5, 2018

Forward Travis Boyd returned to Washington after a conditioning stint in Hershey over the weekend. He took line rushes on the fourth line this morning. With Boyd returning, center Nic Dowd will come out of the lineup. Boyd recorded an assist in two games in Hershey.

.@Tboyd93 returns from injury and conditioning loan at @TheHersheyBears to play tonight vs Edmonton #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/DC3YiFd6BN

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 5, 2018

Defenseman Brooks Orpik did not skate again this morning. He will likely miss his third straight game with a lower-body injury against the Oilers. Madison Bowey will skate in his spot next to Christian Djoos again.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) not at Capitals morning skate today

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) November 5, 2018

Capitals forward Nathan Walker cleared waivers and will be sent to Hershey.

Nathan Walker clears waivers.#Capitals

— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) November 5, 2018

Capitals Lines vs. Oilers

Caps lines vs. Oilers:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Jaskin
Stephenson-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Vrana-Boyd-DSP

Orlov-Niskanen
Kempny-Carlson
Djoos-Bowey

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) November 5, 2018

Shavings

-Kuznetsov is four assists shy of 200 in his career

-Forward T.J. Oshie has earned 24 points (six goals) in 29 career games against Edmonton, tied for his fifth-most points against an NHL franchise (Chicago Blackhawks: 29, Avalanche: 25, Blue Jackets: 25, Stars: 25, Nashville Predators: 24)

-Through the first 12 games of the season, Brett Connolly has nine points (two goals), a 0.75 points per game average. Connolly’s single-season high in points per game is 0.39, set last season with the Capitals; his eight even-strength points are tied with Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, and Oshie for first on the team

-Ovechkin is two power-play goals shy of passing Marcel Dionne (234) for eighth place on the NHL power-play goals list

-Kuznetsov leads the NHL with six power-play goals; all of his goals have come on the power play

-The Capitals’ 3.75 goals per game are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the most in the NHL

-Ovechkin has registered 20 points (10 goals) in 17 career games against the Oilers

-The Capitals’ 4.33 goals per game on home ice ranks first in the NHL

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Evgeny Kuznetsov is four assists shy of 200 career assists. According to NHL Stats, if he records four assists in the next eight games, he will be the sixth-fastest player in franchise history to reach the 200 assist mark. More info on https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/It2Rizi46i

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 5, 2018

Game Notes

GAME NOTES: The Capitals continue their home stand with a matchup against the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow night. https://t.co/ndMwqxD9f8 pic.twitter.com/mgmPPzJBAW

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 4, 2018

By Harrison Brown