Top 3 keys to victory for the Capitals against Avalanche

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Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

#2 Special teams

The Caps will look to get their special teams going. They currently rank 19th in the NHL in power play percentage with a success rate of 20.5 percent. On the penally kill, the Caps are seventh in the league with a shutdown rate of 81.6 percent.

The team had an optional morning skate today so here’s what the units looked like on Daily Face Off.

PP1: Tom Wilson, Nicklas Backstrom, Marcus Johansson, Alex Ovechkin (game time decision), Erik Gustafsson

PP2: Sonny Milano, Dylan Strome, Conor Sheary, Dmitry Orlov, Evgeny Kuznetsov

Now for the penalty kill units.

PK1: Lars Eller, Tom Wilson, Martin Fehervary, Dmitry Orlov

PK2: Evgeny Kuznetsov, Marcus Johansson, Nick Jensen, Trevor van Riemsdyk

If Alex Ovechkin does indeed play tonight, it would help out the power play tremendously. He leads the Caps with nine power play goals. T.J. Oshie is second with five power play goals. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Marcus Johansson each have four. Dylan Strome has three. Conor Sheary and John Carlson each have two. Anthony Mantha and Tom Wilson each have on.

Sheary leads the Caps in shorthanded goals with two. Johansson and Carlson each have one.

The power play went 0 for 3 the other night in Las Vegas.

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