The Washington Capitals were back on the ice as a full team again on Thursday after traveling to Philadelphia the night before, defeating the Flyers 3-1. As he has done on almost every day of Training Camp, head coach Peter Laviolette mixed around the team’s lineup to get a look at different combinations.
That mixing around saw Dylan Strome stick in the center of the ice after a fantastic game against the Flyers but with a new set of wingers on the second line in Anthony Mantha and TJ Oshie. Connor McMichael also got a look on the fourth line at left wing which is a spot on the team that remains up for grabs.
#Caps lines on Thursday:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Brown
Mantha-Strome-Oshie
Johansson-Eller-Sheary
McMichael-Dowd-HathawayFehervary-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
Gustafsson-TvR
Johansen-IrwinKuemper
Lindgren— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) September 29, 2022
Thursday’s practice is the first time in this year’s camp that Mantha and Oshie have been placed together as a wing duo. The two veteran wingers have played over 300 minutes together at five-on-five since Mantha was acquired by the Caps.
Strome himself got off to a hot start in a Caps jersey, tallying twice in the team’s 3-1 victory in Philly. Strome scored on a one-timer during a power play and a slam dunk on a two-on-none break with Connor Brown.
We like these new guys pic.twitter.com/vxKTVwipa1
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 29, 2022
That Erie Otters connection is STRONG pic.twitter.com/kWteMzy8fC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 29, 2022
The 25-year-old playmaker formed a good connection with former junior teammate Connor Brown and the speedy Joe Snively.
“I thought they were good all night,” Laviolette said postgame. “That whole line I thought was really good. They worked, they got good skill, they complemented each other, they brought a lot of speed. I thought Brownie did a good job dogging pucks, Snively gets in there with his speed, Stromer was around the puck all night. They were really good.”
Strome played the most of any Caps center in the game (19:25) and finished with five shots on net which was a team-high. He also took up the half-wall position on the power play where he struck for one of his goals.
“Thought we had some good looks and some good chances, nice to capitalize on a few,” Strome said. “I’m definitely more comfortable in the middle, it’s been my position pretty much my whole life. I feel confident out there. I feel like I can make plays, support my linemates, touch the puck a bit more. I definitely feel more comfortable at center, but whatever happens, happens.”
The player that Strome seems to be in competition with for that center role on the second line is McMichael. On Thursday, the Caps youngster lined up on the fourth line next to Dowd and Hathaway. That left wing spot on the line is wide open due to the long-term injuries Carl Hagelin is dealing with.
Laviolette told NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that he “wouldn’t put too much” into seeing the Caps’ 2019 first-round pick there.
“Sometimes when you move something up and you’re looking at someone higher in the lineup, that’s a position that might be open and we’re trying to manage three (practice) groups here,” he added.
The Caps’ next preseason game comes on Friday in Detroit.
