The Capitals were back to work Tuesday afternoon following their 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday night. The team will hold one more practice on Wednesday morning before departing for New York City Wednesday afternoon in advance of their tilt with the Rangers Thursday night. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m.
The Capitals primary storylines for Tuesday afternoon were the status of Ilya Samsonov (COVID-19 list), Evgeny Kuznetsov (COVID-19 list), Lars Eller (upper body injury), Justin Schultz (upper body injury), Brian Pinho (undisclosed injury) and Conor Sheary, who suffered a lower body injury in last nights game against the Bruins.
Eller and Pinho skated in blue non-contact jerseys. All other players were non-participants in Tuesday’s practice.
PRACTICE
It was announced prior to practice that Vitek Vanecek won the NHL’s ‘Rookie Of The Month’ award.
All the head pats for the rook! 🥰#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/PbMmv3ASoR
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2021
Peter Laviolette discussed the moment in his post-practice media session. “It was a good moment for our guys.”
Lines
Jakub Vrána returned to the second line in practice.
Capitals lines/d-pairs at Tuesday practice:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Vrana-Oshie-Panik
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway
Carr-Sgarbossa-SprongChara-Carlson
Dillon-TvR
Orlov-Jensen
Sigenthaler-Fehervary— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) February 2, 2021
Phil Maillet also skated with the roster group this afternoon.
MEDIA
T.J. Oshie
Oshie re: status after first 10 games. “A lot of games in a short period of time, but we’re making it work with the ‘next man up’ mentality”#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Oy6cqqAj90
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 2, 2021
Vitek Vanecek
Vanecek: re: being named NHL Rookie Of The Month and it being announced in front of the team.
“Great teammates, I was happy to hear that”#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/sloGSFgkLW
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 2, 2021
SHAVINGS
- Through 10 games this season, the Capitals are 7-1-2, tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs for the most points (15) in the NHL.
- In addition, Washington is the only team in the NHL with one regulation loss with 10 games played this season.
- Head coach Peter Laviolette has led the Caps to 15 points in his first 10 games as head coach, tied for the franchise record for most points collected within the first 10 games by a new head coach in franchise history (Jim Schoenfeld, 7-2-1 in 1993-94; Ron Wilson, 7-2-1 in 1997-98).
- This season, the Capitals rank second in power play percentage (40.9) and fourth in the NHL in goals (37).
- Washington has trailed for 49:52 this season, the lowest total in the NHL among teams with at least seven games played.
- Washington is the only team in the NHL that has trailed at the end of the first period once – a game in which they won (Jan. 28 vs. the New York Islanders) – and have never trailed a game at the end of the second period.
- Seventeen different players have scored a goal this season, the most players on a single team in the NHL.
- Nicklas Backstrom is tied for fifth in the NHL with 13 points (5g, 8a), while John Carlson is tied for first among defensemen with 11 points (4g, 7a).
By Jon Sorensen
