The Washington Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leader in power-play goals with 316, for the next four to six weeks due to a broken fibula. Ovechkin’s absence comes just as the team’s power play seemed to finally be clicking this season, scoring on 26.1 percent of opportunities in November. They rank fifth in the league during that timeframe.
The man advantage unit, run by assistant coaches Kirk Muller and Mitch Love, saw their first action of the season without Ovechkin against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. Ovechkin plays a role on both of the team’s units, so changes were aplenty.
First power-play unit
The major change on the first unit is Carlson moving from his typical spot at the top of the team’s familiar 1-3-1 setup to Ovechkin’s office in the left faceoff circle.
Jakob Chychrun, a mainstay on the second unit, jumps up to the first to play the point. Chychrun is left-handed, so his feeds to Carlson will be a little more challenging, as Carlson will always be to his backhand side.
With Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom on the shelf injured, Carlson is the franchise’s active leader in power-play points with 256 (47g, 209a). His 47 career power-play goals also rank first among active players in franchise history.
Second power-play unit
The second power-play unit saw Rasmus Sandin substitute for Chychrun at the point, which Sandin did earlier this season when Chychrun missed five games with an upper-body injury. The other four skaters have been power-play regulars this season.
While the first unit has retained its familiar 1-3-1 setup, the second unit operated differently. During Washington’s first power play opportunity against the Avalanche on Thursday night, Hendrix Lapierre lined up on the left half wall; Jakub Vrana positioned himself near the right half wall; and Andrew Mangiapane and Pierre-Luc Dubois split either side of Colorado’s net.
Although a healthy scratch against the Avalanche, Ivan Miroshnichenko received practice time in Ovechkin’s office on the second unit this week in place of Lapierre. The 20-year-old Russian is tied with Ethen Frank for the Hershey Bears’ lead in power-play goals this season with three apiece. Miro has played both in the left faceoff circle and bumper spot this season with Hershey.
