The Washington Capitals made their way to Long Island, New York on Friday following an optional practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. They begin a two-game road trip tonight against the Islanders at UBS Arena and wrap the trip against the Rangers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
MORNING SKATE
Defensemen Martin Fehervary (lower body) and Nick Jensen (upper body) skated with the starters this morning, indicating they could be returning to the lineup tonight.
The Capitals forward lines and defensive pairs at Saturday’s gameday morning skate, courtesy of Roman Stubbs/Washington Post:
Alex Ovechkin — Evgeny Kuznetsov — Tom Wilson
Sonny Milano — Dylan Strome — T.J. Oshie
Anthony Mantha — Nicklas Backstrom — Craig Smith
Conor Sheary — Nic Dowd — Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Rasmus Sandin — Trevor van Riemsdyk
Martin Fehervary – Nick Jensen
Matt Irwin – Alex Alexeyev
Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
Extras: Aliaksei Protas, Gabriel Carlsson
John Carlson also skated for a fourth time this week, still in the non-contact blue sweater.
ON THE ISLAND
The Capitals visit the New York Islanders tonight at UBS Arena for the second of four meetings between the teams this season. Washington overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the Islanders 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 16, scoring four unanswered goals to secure their largest comeback win of the season.
Catching the boys’ morning skate just like the old days pic.twitter.com/a7ejtIglwI
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 11, 2023
This weekend is the start of the Capitals’ 13th Mentor’s Trip and first since the 2019-20 season (Dec. 14-16, 2019). Players’ mentors will also be in attendance on Tuesday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Since 2008, the Capitals have posted an 16-7-0 record with their mentors in attendance. [MORE HERE]
DOWN ON THE FARM
Ivan Miroshnichenko and Avangard’s MHL team won their first playoff game on Saturday. Miroshnichenko had an assist in the game.
Ivan Miroshnichenko handing out face bumps in the victory fist bump line. 👊😁 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/7B2puNEina
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) March 11, 2023
Capitals goaltending prospect Mitchell Gibson and Harvard University won their opening game in the ECACH Quarterfinals, 6-1 over Princeton. Gibson stopped 30 of 31 shots faced for a .969 game save percentage.
SHAVINGS
- Capitals re-sign Trevor van Riemsdyk to three-year deal. [NoVa Caps]
2023 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: And Connor Bedard goes to… [Daily Faceoff] - Fan experience fuels Tech Week [Sports Business Journal]
- Is 5th Madison Square Garden on the horizon? [Arena Digest]
- NHL Rumors: NHL Expansion Speculation – Houston and Atlanta [NHL Rumors]
- And finally, another goalie fight last night, this time in the ECHL.
GOALIE FIGHT AND @FANTI_29 LANDS ALL OF THEM pic.twitter.com/gMyS6CbRM0
— Fort Wayne Komets (@FWKomets) March 11, 2023
Post updated throughout the day.
Like the lines except the 3rd line where I would like to see Smith at C, Backy at RW, Mantha in the rafters and Protas at LW. At this point in the season I see no reason in not playing Protas over Mantha. Protas gains experience and honestly I fail to see where Mantha provides anything other than filling a sweater so let him sit in the rafters eating nachos. With this tam behind in points and other teams have games in hand, its time to let some of the vets and underperforming players sit starting with M
Mantha; if he hasn’t done it in 66 games I have no faith that he will do anything in the remaining 16 other than fill a sweater as he is truly an overpaid and underperforming player.
We were just chatting about #39. I think that experiment has run it’s course, agree with you Fyre.
Good to see the mentors trip back again. Still think they need to do a mom’s trip every other year.
Another goalie fight?
“Hey Hanrahan, your wife ***** *****! She’s a ****! I know!”
“Reg, what’d you say to him?”
Last minutes of third Friday night fort Wayne komets and wheeling nailers. Goalies Ryan fanti and Brad barone. Buccigross retweeted it.
I can’t believe we can’t find a spot for Protas as this point. Kinda pissing me off. Not just the youth thing but he has been a better player this year.
I was hoping we would re-unite our first line from the winning streak:
OV-Strome-Sheary
Milano-Backstrom-Wilson
Mantha-Kuzy-Oshie
Protas-Dowd-NAK
I’d also be fine with Smith in over Mantha. At least he gives a shit.
This!☝️ I wonder if Protas is in Lavi’s dog house for some reason. He’s a good kid, on and off the ice, and his stats say he should be playing.
Good news Jon. I have my alerts back! I went to WorldPress and subscribed to NovaCaps and alerts. It now gives me everything. Not sure how any of that changed in first place, but at least it is working now.
Only thing i can figure on Protas is that they want to see what Smith brings through end of year. Fine, so then sit Mantha.
Smith like Irwin are the teachers pet so they will not leave the lineup