The Washington Capitals practiced at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Sunday afternoon in preparations for their game against the Nashville Predators tomorrow afternoon at Capital One Arena. Action can be seen on NBC Sports Washington starting at 12:30 PM Eastern. Here are all of the news from Sunday’s practice: 

Defensemen Brooks Orpik, who has missed the past 27 games with a knee injury, and Matt Niskanen, who missed last night’s 3-2 win at the Ottawa Senators with an upper-body injury suffered from a hit by Carolina Hurricanes center Clark Bishop late in the Capitals’ 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Thursday, skated as an extra defensive pair. The team made no changes on defense from last night’s game. The Capitals said that Niskanen won’t play against Nashville and Orpik will be a game-time decision.

Looks like Orpik and Niskanen are skating as an extra pair this morning.

— JJ Regan (@JJReganNBCS) December 30, 2018

Matt Niskanen will not play vs. Predators tomorrow.

Brooks Orpik will be a gametime decision. #ALLCAPS

— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) December 30, 2018

Goaltender Braden Holtby will start against the Predators.

The team will not hold a morning skate tomorrow due to the 12:30 local start time.

Capitals Lines vs. Predators

Capitals at practice today:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Burakovsky-Eller-Connolly
Stephenson/Jaskin-Dowd-DSP/Boyd (rotating)

Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Bowey
Siegenthaler-Lewington
Orpik-Niskanen

Holtby
Copley

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) December 30, 2018

Shavings

-The Capitals’ current five-game road win streak is their longest road win streak of the season (@CapitalsPR)

-Last night marked the first time in Capitals franchise history and the 19th time in NHL history that two defensemen from the same team have both scored their first NHL goals in the same game (@VogsCaps)

-Lewington with the Gordie Howe hat trick, first Capitals defenseman to achieve the feat in nearly 28 years when he dropped the mitts with Zack Smith (@VogsCaps)

-With his assist on Lewington’s first-period goal, Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom has tied Henrik Zetterberg (623) for eighth all-time in assists among Swedish-born players; Peter Forsberg (636) is his next target, and Nicklas Lidstrom (878) is the all-time leader (@VogsCaps)

-Tom Wilson scores the Capitals first goal with his 11th goal in his 18th game. He’s tied for second on the Capitals in goals, and he’s recorded a point in 13 of his 18 games this season (@CapitalsPR)

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Madison Bowey and Tyler Lewington became the 19th defensive pair in NHL history, and the first in franchise history, to score their first career goal in the same game. More info on https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/IwJrwXEvnx

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 30, 2018

By Harrison Brown