Photo: @CapitalsPR

The Washington Capitals held a morning skate at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Thursday morning in preparations for their game against the Arizona Coyotes at 9 PM Eastern. Action from the desert can be found on NBC Sports Washington. Here are all of the news going into tonight’s tilt in the desert: 

Forward Tom Wilson is labeled as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Coyotes tonight. He is still traveling with the team. Wilson, 24, took a hit in the shoulder from Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves in the Capitals’ 5-3 loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday night.

Reirden just said Wilson is “day to day.” Caps are calling it an “upper-body” injury. Wilson is continuing on the trip with the team.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 6, 2018

With Wilson out of the lineup, forward Andre Burakovsky took his spot on the top line with captain Alex Ovechkin and center Nicklas Backstrom. Forward Brett Connolly will skate on the top power-play unit.

Connolly will be in Wilson’s spot on the top power play, which was originally Oshie’s spot. Forwards on PP2 are Burakovsky, Vrana and Eller.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 6, 2018

Defenseman Madison Bowey will sit out tonight in Arizona while defenseman Jonas Seigenthaler will draw into the lineup.

Goaltender Pheonix Copley will start against the Coyotes tonight.

Pheonix Copley will get the start in Phoenix. (Actually, this is Glendale, but you get it)

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 6, 2018

Forward T.J. Oshie, who will miss his 10th straight game tonight with an upper-body injury and did not travel with the team for the Capitals’ three-game road trip, skated for the first time at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

👀 @TJOshie77 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/slep57fAYq

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 6, 2018

NHL teams are 1-8-2 this season a game after playing the Golden Knights on the road, pointed out by Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.

Shavings

-The Capitals have lost five of their past six games at Arizona, going 1-3-2 in that span and the lone win coming in overtime

-The Capitals recorded 40 hits against the Golden Knights, the most hits they’ve recorded in a single game this season and the highest total since January 16, 2017, against the Pittsburgh Penguins (41)

-Ovechkin is now one shot shy of becoming the ninth player in NHL history to record 5,000 shots; should he record one shot against the Coyotes, he will reach the milestone in 1,031 games, 184 fewer games than Marcel Dionne, who holds the record for the fastest player to reach 5,000 career

-Forward Devante Smith-Pelly enters tonight’s game one point shy of 100 in his career

-Ovechkin is also one power-play goal shy of passing Mario Lemieux (236) for seventh place on the NHL power-play goals list

-Over the last four seasons, the Capitals are 37-11-9 in the month of December, recording the most wins and points (83) by any team in the NHL during that span; additionally, the Capitals’ 174 goals for are the third most and their 124 goals allowed are the least during that time frame

-Backstrom’s 33 points (10 goals) are tied for first on the Capitals and are tied for 11th in the NHL; additionally, Backstrom, who has 10 goals in 27 games this season, is on pace for 30 goals this year, which would be three shy of his career high (2009-10)

-The Capitals have scored three or more goals in 20 of their 27 games this season, including 10 games with five or more goals

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Alex Ovechkin is one shot away from setting the record for the fastest player in NHL history to reach 5,000 shots. More information on the captain and the Caps at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/Eju9JBkoaC

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 6, 2018

Game Notes

GAME NOTES: The Capitals visit the desert tomorrow night to visit the Arizona Coyotes. https://t.co/kACPSjUo0H pic.twitter.com/LXVICAu0ip

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 6, 2018

By Harrison Brown