The Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues are set to do battle for the second time in three days on Saturday night. The Capitals have traveled to Missouri for this round and will have a healthier, more regular lineup on the ice.
Head coach Spencer Carbery revealed in his pregame media availability that veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson will be back in action after missing one game due to an upper-body injury. Beck Malenstyn will also jump back into the fray after he missed out on Thursday night due to the birth of his first child.
Edmundson was sidelined for the first matchup with his former team after he got into a fight with Anaheim Ducks forward Ross Johnston earlier in the week. The 30-year-old defender has been a mainstay on the Capitals’ backend after missing the first 14 games of the season due to fracturing his hand in Training Camp.
Edmundson has gotten into 27 games since and recorded three points (1g, 2a). The Capitals have not been good this season when Edmundson jumps over the boards at five-on-five. During his minutes, they see 45.8 percent of the shot attempts and 43.7 percent of the expected goals.
The veteran rearguard will supplant Trevor van Riemsdyk and play next to Ethan Bear. Alex Alexeyev played in his first two games this week since late November and will stick in the lineup.
Hendrix Lapierre replaced Malenstyn on the Capitals’ trusted fourth line on Thursday but only skated 6:31 of total ice time in the win. Lapierre will come out of the lineup in favor of Malenstyn as that checking line is now back to full strength.
Malenstyn has 10 points this season in 42 games. The 25-year-old winger has the most five-on-five, defensive-zone starts on the team this season with 172. He has only started a shift in the offensive zone 15 times.
Puck drop against the Blues is at 8 pm ET.
