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
Laviolette is bending over backwards to keep Eller in the lineup and I don’t know why.
It would appear that way.
Eller deserves to be in the line up, Backstrom and his 9.2 mil should be skating with the extra or even better he should be on waiver. No way he brings more than Strome. What a joke of an organisation. Looks like they’re ready to give up on the season already.
Waive NB19, Franky? Easy.
Yeah, waive him then buy out! Team was trending upward with Strome as a top 6 center. Kid is one of the best bargain of the summer and is only gonna get better.They need to stop holding on to fading memories wich were overrated to begin with.
I respect your opinion, but don’t agree. We haven’t seen what NB19 can do with improved hip.
I garantee that it won’t be worth half his 9.2 millions. Eller brings more to the team than Backstrom. Take Backstrom off the 1st PP unit ( where he’s not doing better than Strome ) and all you got left is a very average player.
I garantee it won’t be worth half his 9.2 millions salary. Eller at 3.5 millions brings more to the team than Backstrom. Take him off the 1st PP unit ( where he’s not doing better than Strome by the way) and all you’re left with is a very average player.
Scratching Strome is just plain stupid.
I give up
I am shocked. Lavs needs to explain why Strome is sitting.
I am shocked. Lavs needs to explain why Strome is not playing.
It’s almost as if he was afraid to publicly announce, saying “we are still deciding on this to the media” and then 2 seconds later the healthy scratches skate.
Of course, we guessed he’d be a healthy scratch when stuck on the 4th line in practice as a rotating winger with MoJo.
Why the bleep is Strome a healthy scratch? Unless there’s a nagging injury and he needs a rest. How on Earth did he sink far enough to be a rotating winger on the 4th line in practice and then a healthy scratch. Lavi, what were you thinking with that move?
Why would any young player want to come to the Capitals while Laviolette is coach.
Regardless of talent, production or strong analytics you can’t keep your spot on a line, your spot on the ice or your spot on the roster.
Not an outlandish point.
The chance of winning the Cup is a pretty strong motivator.
Not if you don’t get to participate and contribute to winning the cup.
I’m sure Chris Thorburn’s feelings are so hurt that he didn’t play in the playoffs.
What chance?
You must be crazy if you think this team has no chance to make the playoffs. Hockey has by far the most parity in the playoffs- the Habs were in the Cup two years ago. Everyone in the league knows that a team with Ovechkin is going to compete, and ultimately, you don’t get the girl if you don’t go to the dance.
You must be crazy if you think this team can win the cup. This team is all about the Chase, not winning!
Literally any team that makes the playoffs can win the Cup. That’s why they play the games.
Maybe the dumbest comment I have seen.
If you think it’s a dumb comment, then it’s because you’re a dumb person. The Kings won the Cup as an 8 seed in 2012.
If I may misquote the late great John McKay, “Three or four plane crashes and we win the playoffs.”