Good Opportunity To Respond With Our Backs Against The Wall’
The Washington Capitals are aiming to rebound swiftly from a brutal 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, and they’re receiving a makeover before facing the Seattle Kraken only 24 hours later.
Head coach Spencer Carbery, who emphasized the need for fresh bodies after the team’s dismal performance in the second game of its five-game road trip out west, made a few adjustments before puck drop.
Aliaksei Protas will return after missing the previous game due to a lower-body ailment and will replace Nicolas Aube-Kubel, as NAK will be the healthy scratch up front.
Call-ups Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko will remain in contention after outstanding performances in recent games. Miroshnichenko scored in the loss to the Oilers.
Meanwhile, on defence, Alex Alexeyev will return to the lineup and replace Ethan Bear, who will sit out yet again due to a healthy scratch.
Charlie Lindgren will get the start, his seventh in eight games after Darcy Kuemper played on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers.
Carbery expects a better performance from his team and described the game as a “significant challenge for D.C.,” which is three points short of a Wild Card place and has lost both games to begin a vital trip that could decide the postseason race.
“Their identity is as uniform across a lineup as there is. Everyone’s on the same page,” Carbery said, adding, “They defend really, really effectively, and they don’t give you much… They are a handful. Given the circumstances and where we are in the season, this is an excellent opportunity for our team to respond with their backs against the wall.”
