Photo: Sportsnet

The Washington Capitals will rest center Nicklas Backstrom, forward T.J. Oshie, and defenseman John Carlson for Game 1 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their regular season finale against the New York Islanders at Capital One Arena on Saturday night (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington). In addition, goaltender Pheonix Copley will make his second start in three games. More news from the Capitals’ morning skate prior to Game 82 can be found below:

Copley will play the entire game tonight, according to head coach Todd Reirden.

Reirden said Copley will play the full game tonight.

He said he and Ovechkin had a convo about playing tonight, and they both felt like that boded well for him last year.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2019

Forward Nathan Walker, who will be a healthy scratch against the Islanders, will be sent back to the AHL’s Hershey Bears for the Calder Cup Playoffs after the game tonight. He was recalled by the Capitals on Friday.

Nathan Walker will take a warmup tonight, but not expected to play. Todd Reirden said Walker will likely go back to Hershey after game tonight, but he’s a guy they feel can help in playoffs if needed.

But they want him playing in Hershey in meantime rather than sit in DC.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 6, 2019

Captain Alex Ovechkin will not be a scratch tonight because Reirden felt he already got his rest when he was suspended in a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames on February 1 for skipping the 2019 NHL All-Star Weekend in San Jose. He stated that the race for the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy was not a factor. Ovechkin leads Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl by two goals for the league-lead.

Reirden said Ovechkin felt he already sat out a game this season (after skipping all-star game) and they felt playing in final regular season game last season set him for playing well in playoffs.

Said Rocket Richard race (Ovechkin leads Draisaitl by two goals) was not a factor.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 6, 2019

Capitals’ Lines vs. Islanders

Caps expected lineup:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Hagelin-Eller-Connolly
Vrana-Boyd-Jaskin
Burakovsky-Dowd-Stephenson

Orlov-Niskanen
Siegenthaler-Jensen
Orpik-Djoos

Carlson, Oshie and Backstrom are the regulars who are out tonight.

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 6, 2019

Forward Dmitrij Jaskin, who last played in a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on February 17, and defenseman Jonas Seigenthaler, who last played in a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on February 5, will draw back into the lineup tonight. The Capitals made lineup changes for their game against the Islanders with Carlson, Backstrom, and Oshie out.

Islanders News

Center Valtteri Filppula, who has missed the past eight games with an upper-body injury, will return for the Islanders tonight. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who was rested in the Islanders’ 2-1 shootout win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, will draw back into the lineup. Goaltender Robin Lehner will likely start for the Islanders, who will try to clinch the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed tonight. They have allowed a league-low 196 goals this season, six fewer than the Dallas Stars, who are second in league defense.

The Islanders can secure the second spot in the Metropolitan Division with a point against the Capitals or if the Pittsburgh Penguins fall to the New York Rangers in any fashion at home tonight. They can play the Penguins or the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Following tonight’s game, the Capitals could potentially be 7-2-1 in their last 10 games of the season, one point behind their finish from last year (8-2-0). More info on the Caps at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/ZovpS27SxD
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 6, 2019

By Harrison Brown