The Capitals held their gameday morning skate at 10:30AM on Tuesday in advance of their tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is set for just after 7PM.
Nick Jensen and Anthony Mantha returned to skating with the starters while Aliaksei Protas was relegated to skating with the extras. Jensen missed the last two games and five of the last eight due to injury. Mantha missed the last two games as a healthy scratch.
The forward lines and defensive pairs on Tuesday morning:
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson
Sonny Milano-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J.Oshie
Anthony Mantha-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Craig Smith
Conor Sheary-Nic Dowd-Aube-Kubel
Rasmus Sandin-Nick Jensen
Matt Irwin-Gabriel Carlsson
Martin Fehervary-Alex Alexeyev
Darcy Kuemper
Charlie Lindgren
Zach Fucale
*John Carlson and Aliaksei Protas skated as a D-pair as well
Darcy Kuemper was the first goalie off the ice this morning. He is feeling better, but not ready to go tonight.
Trevor van Riemsdyk did not participate in the team’s morning skate. He is with his wife, who is expecting “any moment”.
Laviolette confirmed that Lindgren is starting in net.
Kuemper remains day by day.
John Carlson (skull fracture) not playing tonight.
Laviolette said not known yet if
Trevor van Riemsdyk (baby watch) Nick Jensen (upper) or Evgeny Kuznetsov (upper) will play.— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) March 21, 2023
Honestly with 11 games to go and being 7 points out of the playoff,s and every team except the Rangers has one game in hand, isn’t it time to stop playing Mantha, as everyone knows what he can and can not do and give Protas a chance to show what he can do the next 11 games? There is also no need to bring Carlson back let him fully recover and be ready for next season and let Kemper rest and give Fucale a few games.
They need to play him to trade him.
They should be playing Protas unless they’ve made some kind of decision on him.
Agree. It seems Lavi is still trying to win games. Are we developing or are we trying to win games?
Play Protas and Snively. Sit Mantha and Sheary.
Yes and yes.
Which prospects do we have in the NCAA tournament? I will get the games on FloHockey so might watch some of our future trades.
Thanks Jon