ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Washington Capitals will sport a vastly different look when they take the ice Saturday at Verizon Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
After only scoring eight even-strength goals through seven games and losing three of four during a season-long five-game homestand, coach Adam Oates, who had been patient despite his team's offensive struggles, rearranged his forward lines and defensive pairings.
"I know we talk a lot about chemistry and that's important," Oates said following practice Friday. "I just felt that a couple guys weren't playing good enough for the minutes they're getting, and they need to know that."
The first line of Marcus Johansson, Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin remains intact, but the other three lines have undergone some sort of makeover.
Martin Erat will see his first top-six action of the season after averaging less than nine minutes per game on the fourth line, joining the second line with Brooks Laich and Troy Brouwer. Mikhail Grabovski will center the third line and Eric Fehr will play in the middle on the fourth line.
Aaron Volpatti will make his season debut, replacing Jay Beagle on the fourth line, with Fehr and Tom Wilson.