Screencap: @Capitals
On Wednesday, Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette spoke to the media on a Zoom call following Group A’s practice on the third day of the 2020-21 training camp. He discussed how Thursday’s scrimmage will be an evaluation to see how lines, pairs, and goaltenders work together ahead of the season opener on January 14 at First Niagra Center against the Buffalo Sabres.
Laviolette reiterated how Thursday’s scrimmage will serve as an evaluation to see how lines and pairs work in a mock game. He called it a “starting point”. Laviolette said the goaltender situation will be “a real battle”. The main takeaway, according to him, is to “be patient”, scrimmage and then make decisions.
The talk about special teams has been relatively quiet. Laviolette explained plans are “already in place” and everyone had their meetings. He added, “They [the team] won’t be blind…[they’ll] know what they will be doing.”
The first time the team will work on it will be the scrimmage set for tomorrow. Laviolette noted special teams will “have an emphasis in the third period” with different situations. Five-on-five play will occur in the first two periods.
Defenseman Zdeno Chara joined the Capitals’ first group this morning. “He has a massive presence on the ice,” Laviolette said. He praised Chara’s culture, character, leadership, and success both on and off the ice, calling the 43-year-old a “class act”.
By Della Young
