After left-wing Axel Jonsson-Fjallby was recalled from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Wednesday, it appears that the 23-year-old will draw into the Washington Capitals’ lineup against the Boston Bruins on Thursday at TD Garden (7 PM ET, ESPN+/Hulu) in favor of right-wing Daniel Sprong, who will be a healthy scratch.

Laviolette liked AJF + Eller when they were on a line together earlier in the season, so they’re together again tonight.

Asked AJF why they work so well: “Besides the fact that we can speak Swedish to each other?

“He’s a super smart centerman. Very easy to play with.”

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) January 20, 2022

Goaltender Vitek Vanecek will start in Boston. Head coach Peter Laviolette said this could be a chance for him to grab the No. 1 job in net and find some consistency.

Right-wing T.J. Oshie (upper-body injury, day-to-day), defenseman John Carlson (COVID-19 protocol, eligible to be activated on Friday), and left-wing Conor Sheary (COVID-19 protocol, eligible to be activated anytime) were all absent from the morning skate. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who will serve the first of a two-game suspension for kneeing left-wing Nikolaj Ehlers in the Capitals’ 4-3 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, also did not participate.

With Orlov out, the Capitals will put defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk on the second power-play unit. Right-wing Garnet Hathaway will also get a look on the man advantage.

Capitals power play units:

PP1: Ovechkin, Schultz, Backstrom, Wilson, Kuznetsov

PP2: Ovechkin, TvR, Eller, Protas, Hathaway

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) January 20, 2022

It also appears that Michal Kempny will draw into the lineup after getting recalled from the taxi squad.

Capitals lines at morning skate in BOS:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Hathaway
Protas-Backstrom-Wilson
AJF-Eller-McMichael
Hagelin-Dowd-Leason

Fehervary-Jensen
Irwin-Schultz
Kempny-TvR

All three goalies on the ice (Vanecek, Samsonov, Shepard)

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) January 20, 2022

NHL News

* Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators will be allowed to host 50% capacity starting on February 21 and 100% on March 14

* Buffalo Sabres D Colin Miller will miss at least six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair an undisclosed injury

* Sabres G Malcolm Subban will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury

* Sabres RW Kyle Okposo will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury

* Carolina Hurricanes RW Jordan Martinook entered COVID-19 protocol

* Florida Panthers D Gustav Forsling entered COVID-19 protocol

Capitals Today

CAPS TODAY: Evgeny Kuznetsov has recorded 11 points (4g, 7a) in his last 11 games, and his 39 points (12g, 27a) in 37 games this season rank second on the Capitals. More info on Kuznetsov and #Caps Clips at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/3mQfWUMZrv

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 20, 2022

Game Notes

By Harrison Brown