The Washington Capitals returned to the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday morning after their 6-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena last night. The team next plays on Friday night at 7:30 at PNC Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes. NBC Sports Washington will have the coverage. Here are all of the news from Wednesday’s practice from Arlington, Virginia: 

Defenseman Brooks Orpik skated for the first time since undergoing surgery on his right leg, which was originally estimated to take 4-6 weeks for him to return to the lineup, before practice. He has missed the past 20 games. In the first 10 games he played this season, Orpik, 38, posted a goal, two points, and a +2 rating.

Brooksie’s back on the ice for the first time this morning #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/1vpRGszl7G

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 12, 2018

Defenseman Christian Djoos did not practice today and is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 24-year old defenseman has four points (all assists) and a +6 rating in 28 games this season. Jonas Seigenthaler took his place on the third pairing next to Madison Bowey.

#Caps Christian Djoos will not practice today and is listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 12, 2018

Forward Tom Wilson practiced and took full contact, meaning he will likely return at the Hurricanes on Friday. He has missed the past three games with a concussion after being on the wrong side of a blindside hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves in the Capitals’ 5-3 loss to the Golden Knights on December 4.

Tom Wilson is on the ice in a red jersey, meaning he should be full go today. Caps could have a completely healthy forward corps for just a second time all season when they play Carolina on Friday.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 12, 2018

Forward Andre Burakovsky, who was scratched in the win over the Red Wings, rotated in with forward Dmitrij Jaskin on the fourth line and forward Chandler Stephenson rotated in with forward Devante Smith-Pelly on the third line but both were skating with the scratches.

Capitals Lines

Er, now the lines are:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Connolly-Eller-DSP
Jaskin-Dowd-Boyd

Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Siegenthaler-Bowey

Maybe I just saw it wrong the first time 🤷🏻‍♀️

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) December 12, 2018

Shavings

-center Travis Boyd has two goals and four points over a three-game point streak

-captain Alex Ovechkin has six goals in a four-game goal-scoring streak and 13 goals and 19 points on a 12-game point streak

-Ovechkin’s 49 assists against Carolina are the most he has against a single franchise while his 36 goals against them rank third (Winnipeg Jets: 47, Tampa Bay Lightning: 43)

-Since returning from injury, center Evgeny Kuznetsov has a six-game point streak, where he’s tallied a goal and eight points over that span

-Goaltender Braden Holtby has a save percentage of .973 in his past two games

-The Capitals have won three games in a row and 10 of their past 12 outings

-The team has five players with a +10 rating or higher (defenseman Michal Kempny: +19 – tied with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Calgary Flames defenseman T.J. Brodie for the second-highest in the NHL, defenseman John Carlson: +17 – tied with Nashville Predators forward Colton Sissons and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen for the seventh-highest in the NHL, center Nicklas Backstrom: +15 – tied with Maple Leafs defensemen Ron Hainsey and Morgan Reilly for 12th-highest in the league, Ovechkin: +12 – in a six-way tie for 19th in the NHL, and forward Jakub Vrana: +10 – in a six-way tie for 30th in the NHL)

#ALLCAPS record comparison after 30 games:

2017-2018 – 18-11-1, 37 points (9th in NHL)
2018-2019 – 18-9-3, 39 points (7th in NHL)

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) December 12, 2018

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: With his hat trick last night, Ovechkin passed Pavel Bure and Darryl Sittler and into a tie with Glenn Anderson and Richard Martin for the 12th most in NHL history. More info on Ovechkin and the Caps at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/A7mUURqPKo

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 12, 2018

By Harrison Brown