The Washington Capitals held an optional morning skate this morning at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. They host the Philadelphia Flyers tonight in the second game of the home-and-home set, with puck drop set for 7PM.
MORNING SKATE
The Capitals changed their morning skate to “optional” for this morning. Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed after the skate that Darcy Kuemper will start in goal tonight against the Flyers. He also said decisions about lineup changes are still being made.
However, Dylan Strome, Nicolas-Aube-Kubel, Alex Alexeyev and Charlie Lindgren skated after the morning skate, possibly indicating tonight’s scratches.
IF Strome indeed does not play tonight, it would be his first healthy scratch (or scratch of any kind) this season.
Of course, he went through with Chicago in past seasons. https://t.co/cGp6jnMMM0
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) January 14, 2023
For what it’s worth, here were the the forward lines and defensive pairs at Friday’s practice:
Alex Ovechkin — Evgeny Kuznetsov — Connor Sheary/Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Sonny Milano — Nicklas Backstrom — Tom Wilson
T.J. Oshie — Nic Dowd — Anthony Mantha
Marcus Johansson/Dylan Strome — Lars Eller — Garnet Hathaway
Erik Gustafsson — Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Dmitry Orlov — Nick Jensen
Alexander Alexeyev — Martin Fehervary
Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
If you remove Dylan Strome and Nicolas Aube-Kubel and replace Alex Alexeyev with Matt Irwin, you possibly have tonight’s starting lineup.
FLYERS
The Capitals close out their season series with the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at 7 p.m. at Capital One Arena. Garnet Hathaway, T.J. Oshie and Marcus Johansson scored in the Capitals’ 5-3 loss to the Flyers on Wednesday at Wells Fargo Center.
In three games against Philadelphia this season, the Capitals are 2-1-0 and have outscored the Flyers 10-8. Washington is 97-111-19-11 all-time versus Philadelphia and 15-8-0 in their last 23 games against the Flyers dating back to the 2018-19 season. [More here.]
The Flyers did not hold a morning skate. Coach John Tortorella will meet with the media pre-game/late afternoon.
STAT OF THE DAY – TEAM GOALTENDING RANK
Today’s stat of the day simply plots the league ranking for the Capitals team goaltending over the course of the first 44 games of the season. [Click to enlarge].
The ranking has gradually improved since a season-low on November 23. The Capitals currently have the 8th-best team goaltending save percentage in the league.
[The statistics used in this post are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and the NoVa Caps Advanced Analytics Model (NCAAM). If you’d like to learn more about the statistical terms used in this post, please check out our NHL Analytics Glossary]
DOWN ON THE FARM
Connor McMichael and Joe Snively hooked up for a sweet goal on Friday night. McMichael would make a perfect outlet pass off the boards to Joe Snively streaking down the left side. “Snipely” would fire top corner for the score.
Sweet outlet pass by Connor McMichael to Joe Snively for his first with the Bears this season. Snively has points in 16-straight Bears home games. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/dqnlhA9DZT
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 14, 2023
Ryan Hofer scored in his first game with the Kamloops Blazers on Friday night. The goal came against his former team the Everett Silvertips. Hofer was traded from the Silvertips earlier in the week.
Zellweger and Hofer go back to back goals 🔥🔥🔥
Not a bad debut for Hofer 🏒#whl #blazernation pic.twitter.com/qxxGt0wksx
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 14, 2023
Ethen Frank had this opportunity for a hat trick last night against Springfield Thunderbirds. He also had an empty net goal after this that was waived off for being offsides.
Frank The Tank! Ethen Frank for the hat trick, and…and, ugh. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/KgqSNb6pEh
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 14, 2023
Mitchell Gibson was named on the initial watch list for the 2023 Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top goaltender, the Hockey Commissioners’ Association announced Thursday (Jan. 12).
Semifinalists for the award will be announced in February, with the field further narrowed to three finalists in March before the winner of the award is announced in April at the 2023 Frozen Four in Tampa.
Gibson (7-3-1, 2.22 GAA, .921 Save%) has been one of the nation’s best in net over the first half of the season, starting 11 of 15 games in net for the Crimson.
SHAVINGS
Connor Brown turns 29 today. Laviolette told media today that Brown has stepped up rehabilitation of his torn ACL.
Laviolette says Connor Brown, who turns 29 today, has started doing more in his workouts as he rehabs from his torn ACL: “There’s a page that you turn when you get past the first month or two of an injury.”
Still a ways to go, but he’s in good spirits.
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) January 14, 2023
And finally, please welcome Acadia to Caps Nation.
Bald eagle game face. Meet 1-year-old female Acadia! This fierce #ALLCAPS fan makes her Zoo debut in spring. Talons up on a nest-level @Capitals #ReverseRetro jersey! Like eagles in flight, the Caps are apex predators on ice! Go Caps! Introducing Acadia: https://t.co/LkFzkV8Bo9 pic.twitter.com/jRJjnNsYeO
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 14, 2023
By Jon Sorensen