The Washington Capitals will play the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa on Monday night. The Capitals could be without two of their main centers when they make the trip over the border.
The team announced on Sunday that center Nic Dowd is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Nicklas Backstrom is out until at least November 6 due to being placed on long-term injured reserve and only just recently started individual work on the ice.
Due to that, Peter Laviolette has had to make a few adjustments to his forward lineup.
Capitals lines/d-pairs at practice today:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-McMichael-Oshie
Sheary-Lapierre-Sprong
Hagelin-Eller-HathawayFehervary-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
TvR-Schultz*Dowd is day to day with a lower-body injury
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) October 24, 2021
Lars Eller has slotted in on the Capitals fourth line, a line that Laviolette deploys almost exclusively for defensive purposes. Dowd leads the team in five-on-five defensive zone starts this season with 19.
Hendrix Lapierre also checks back in for the first time in over a week as the third center. And finally, Anthony Mantha has swapped wings on the second line and Daniel Sprong has been placed on the third line in favor of a promotion for TJ Oshie.
Caps Coach Peter Laviolette said he is unsure if Nic Dowd (day to day, lower-body) is traveling to Ottawa. Needed to check in with the trainers and see the status there.
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) October 24, 2021
Lapierre has not played in a game since October 16 and if he were to play against Ottawa it would be the first time both he and McMichael lined up for the Capitals in the same game.
Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB
