The Washington Capitals held their gameday morning skate at 10:30 a.m. this morning at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. The Caps host Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders in the first game of a two-game set tonight at Capital One Arena. Washington holds a record of 6-4-0 in their last 10 games against New York. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. [Game Notes][NHL stats]
The Capitals recalled forward Michael Sgarbossa from Hershey to Washington (taxi squad) this morning.
#Caps re-assign forward Michael Sgarbossa from Hershey to Washington taxi squad
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 26, 2021
Sgarbossa participated in morning skate.
MORNING SKATE
Capitals lines at morning skate:
Capitals lines in AM skate ahead of their game vs NYI
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Panik-Eller-Wilson
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway
Sprong-Sgarbossa-ShearyDillon-Carlson
Chara-Schultz
Siegenthaler-TvR*Wilson appears to be in
*Fehervary-Jensen extra D pair— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) January 26, 2021
Tom Wilson skated and will be a game time decision.
Vitek Vanecek was in the starters net at practice this morning, indicating he looks to be tonight’s starter.
It appears Sgarbossa will replace Brian Pinho at center on the fourth line. Laviolette said that will be assessed after practice.
Daniel Carr and Connor McMichael also skated with the team this morning.
From The Other Side
Barry Trotz says “zero carryover” from his displeasure with Peter Laviolette last year. Trotz said Laviolette’s choice to have NSH’s top PP on late in an 8-3 win “tells me a lot about him.”
Now they’re facing each other 8x this year. “Part of the game, no carryover whatsoever.”
— Arthur Staple (@StapeAthletic) January 26, 2021
MEDIA SESSIONS
Peter Laviolette
Laviolette: re taking Jensen out of lineup: “Tough decisions had to me made…I don’t want him sitting too long either”#ALLCAPS
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) January 26, 2021
John Carlson
Carlson: re: new format, seeing teams more in a season and potential for “normal” 82-game season. “absolutely not…I like it how it was”#ALLCAPS
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) January 26, 2021
SHAVINGS
- With Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, Nicklas Backstrom played in his 962ndcareer game, passing Peter Bondra (961) for the third-most games played in franchise history. He is now 22 games shy of Calle Johansson (983) for the second-most games played in franchise history.
- Backstrom has recorded a team-high seven points (4g, 3a) in the Capitals’ first six games. It marks the second time in the last three seasons Backstrom has recorded at least seven points in the first six games (2018-19: 1g, 8a).
- Backstrom averaged 0.93 points per game last time this occurred in 2018-19 (74 points in 80 games).
- Backstrom has scored four goals in the first six games this season, the first time he has accomplished this feat since he recorded four goals in five games to begin the 2015-16 campaign.
By Jon Sorensen
