Breaking down all the new line changes on the Capitals
Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are back and as a result the Washington Capitals had to do a semi complete overhaul of their roster. Mainly their forward lines.
Here’s what the lines were at Tuesday’s practice and Wednesday’s game which resulted in a 5-3 loss:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Milano
Eller-Backstrom-Oshie
Sheary-Strome-Wilson
Johansson-Dowd-Hathaway
Gustafsson-TvR
Orlov-Jensen
Alexeyev-Fehervary
The Caps struggled offensively in their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets despite winning 1-0. They put up 19 shots on goal which was their fewest of the season. On Wednesday night they failed to complete the comeback.
The Caps had Dylan Strome fill in for Backstrom while he was recovering from his hip surgery. With Backstrom back, Strome moved from center to wing. Anthony Mantha was a healthy scratch for two games in row. So was Nicolas Aube Kubel.
Capitals coach Peter Laviolette told reporters on Tuesday after practice:
“I don’t think [Sunday] was as pressing as I would’ve liked to have seen offensively. So we’ll … try to keep some pairs the same but move it around and try to find the right pieces to go with that.”
At Tuesday’s practice, the Caps moved Lars Eller to the wing. They moved Strome back to center skating on the third line between Conor Sheary and Tom Wilson. Eller was a second line left wing next to Backstrom and T.J. Oshie.
Eller said:
“I’m pumped. I think it will be fun. [I am] playing with two really good players. I think we moved the puck really well today, and so it felt good, the reps we had. I just need a little reps to feel that space out and the patterns. It is a little more about … where to be and timing of coming into the right spaces at the right time.”
Sonny Milano got promoted to the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Milano signed with the Caps in Oct. to a one year, $750,000 deal. He’s heated up with seven goals and 12 assists in 30 games, including four goals in his past nine games.
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We’ll have more on the Caps loss to the Flyers shortly.