The Washington Capitals returned to MedStar Capitals Iceplex Tuesday morning for a team practice following a day off on Monday. The Capitals will practice again on Wednesday before departing for New York in advance of their two-game set with the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum beginning on Thursday.

The two teams will play again on Saturday in New York and then return to the District for their season series finale next Tuesday at Capital One Arena. The Capitals are currently in first place in the East Division, two points ahead of the Islanders.

Here’s the latest from today’s practice.

PRACTICE

Michael Raffl (upper body) was on the ice for Capitals practice today. He donned a blue non -contact jersey. It was the first time he has practiced with the team since being acquired from the Flyers at the trade deadline.

Laviolette: re: Raffl: “I thought he looked good out there today” No timeline for first game. #ALLCAPS

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 20, 2021

Zdeno Chara (blocked shot) also practiced today. He missed Sunday’s game in Boston.

Justin Schultz did not skate today. Schultz has a lower-body injury and is day-to-day. He was injured in the first period of Sunday’s game in Boston, did not return.

Michael Raffl put on a Caps jersey today for his first skate with the team since being traded to the Caps, plus big Zee was back on the ice!#ALLCAPS | @AlibabaGroup pic.twitter.com/dywXj2XeH1

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 20, 2021

Lines

Michael Kempny continues to practice with the team Here are the lines and pairs from Tuesday’s practice:

Capitals lines at practice:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-Backstrom-Oshie
Sheary-Eller-Sprong/Raffl*
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway

Orlov-Carlson
Dillon-TvR
Chara-Jensen
Kempny*-LaDue

*Raffl and Kempny both in non-contact jerseys. Schultz (lower-body) not out here.

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) April 20, 2021

REMAINING GAMES AND STRENGTH OF SCHEDULES

The following are the remaining games and strength of schedules for each team in the East Division.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY

Peter Laviolette

Michael Raffl

TJ OSHIE

• T.J. Oshie has recorded 10 points (5g, 5a) in his last seven games. With 37 points (16g, 21a) in 45 games this season, Oshie’s 0.82 points per game rate this season is tied for the highest rate of his career (2016-17: 0.82 points per game).
• Since 2015-16, Oshie ranks second on the Capitals with 144 goals (Alex Ovechkin: 255).
  
• Oshie is one of 35 players with over 140 goals in the last six seasons. Since 2015-16, Oshie has scored 144 goals on 818 shots (17.6 percent) and recorded the second-highest shooting percentage in the NHL among players with at least 140 goals during that span.
  
• This season, Oshie leads the Capitals with 10 power play goals. Over the last two seasons, Oshie’s 20 power play goals are tied for sixth in the NHL.

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PROSPECTS – OHL

• The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) announced Tuesday morning that attempts to return to play for the 2020-21 season have been terminated. The recently extended stay at home order along with increasing cases of COVID-19 across the province have made it impossible for the OHL to have a season.
• The ruling affirms that Capitals prospect Connor McMichael, who was loaned to the Hershey Bears for the start of the 2020-21 season, will be able to finish the season in the AHL.
• Capitals prospect Martin Hugo Has, who was set to return to the Guelph Storm of the OHL, will extend his long hiatus away from the game, having only played for the Czech National junior team in December over the past 14 months.

By Jon Sorensen
Follow @nova_caps

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