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Vitek Vanecek set to get second straight start against Tampa Bay Lightning

Vitek Vanecek will be in net for the Capitals again Saturday as they take on the back-to-back champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The rest of the Capitals lines and pairings remain the same from Wednesday’s 5-1 blowout victory over the New York Rangers.

“I thought Vitek was excellent,” Laviolette said of the Czech’s Opening Night performance. “The first period was probably our period where we weren’t as good and as crisp and sharp as we needed to be. There were three or four really big saves, couple point-blank right in front of the net. I thought we tightened up after but he was ready and made some big saves. He looked extremely sharp to me throughout the entire game, played excellent.”

Here are the rest of the lines via the Washington Post’s Samantha Pell.

Hendrix Lapierre draws back in as the third center after scoring his first NHL goal in his first game. Martin Fehervary also remains on the top pair next to John Carlson after his first game in that increased role. Connor McMichael is still with the team skating as an extra.

Tonight’s matchup with the Lightning will be the first game against a team that was not in the MassMutual East Division since August 3, 2020.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

RMNB is not associated with the Washington Capitals; Monumental Sports, the NHLPA, the NHL, or its properties. Not even a little bit.

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