Washington Capitals News: Lines from the first practice since 4 Nations break

The Washington Capitals returned to the ice in Arlington, VA at MedStar Capitals Iceplex for a practice for the first time since falling to the Utah Hockey Club in the shootout on Super Bowl Sunday. Here's how the team lined up in the first day back from the break.

Per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network, here's how the Caps lined up:

Ovechkin-Strome-Wilson

McMichael-Dubois-Prots

Mangiapane-Eller-Frank

Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh

Extras: Vrana-Milano (non contact)

Sandin-Carlson

Fehervary-Roy

Chychrun-TvR

Extras: Alexeyev-McIlrath

Thompson

Lindgren

This is their first practice since Feb. 8. The Capitals have 27 regular season games remaining and their record stands at 36-11-8 which is good for 80 points and sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with the highest point percentage in the NHL at .727.

The Capitals are currently on pace for 119 points which would mark the third highest single season total in franchise history. Through 55 games played, the Capitals are tied for the second most goals scored in the NHL with 196 and have allowed the third fewest goals against at 137.

Washington's +55 goal differential is the second highest in the League while their .910 team save percentage also ranks second. In addition, the Capitals have three players with 22 or more goals and nine players with at least 11 goals, led by Alex Ovechkin's 26.

At 39 years old, Ovechkin ranks tied for ninth in the NHL in goals despite missing 16 games due to injury. Every player ranked ahead of Ovechkin in goals is 31 or younger. Ovechkin scored four goals and recorded nine points in his final five games before the break and enters Saturday's game at the Pittsburgh Penguins 16 goals shy of passing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history.

With a goals per game rate of 0.67 this season, Ovechkin is on pace to break the all time goals record on April 12 at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In news for the prospects the young Caps took care of the Penguins of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the form of a Hershey Bears overtime goal by Hendrix Lapierre.

Lapierre would get the accolades coming as the AHL announced on Feb. 17 the AHL announced he would receive the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Feb. 16. The 23 year old recorded five points in two games over the baby pens with two goals and three assists.

Players spoke to the media after practice and per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, Ovechkin chimed in on no Caps being represented at the 4 Nations:

"It's not our fault. We'll take it. "

Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin trained in Miami during his break and was spotted on social media alongside former teammate Dmitry Orlov. Tom Wilson spoke to Silber on how the captain looked out there:

"I should've gone with him (to Miami) for the break. We spent our break 3 or 4 years ago together and he always seems to be flying. It just shows you how much this all means to him right now... he looked great today. "

Tom Wilson

The team kept one change from the last game before the break when it came to the lines as Andrew Mangiapane moved up to the third line while Taylor Raddysh moved to the fourth line.

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery would even chime in on Ovi's trip to Miami

"It was purposeful, right? He could've vacationed and gone halfway around the world. But coming back from the injury and wanting to stay stateside... if it tells me anything... it tells me in this situation that O is really serious about (being ready for the second half. "

Spencer Carbery

The Capitals will take on the Penguins up at PPG Paints Arena this Saturday at 3 p.m. on ABC and ESPN plus in their first game back in action.