Capitals at Penguins preview

CAPITALS (30-15-5) at PENGUINS (28-21-3)
7 p.m. ET; SN, TVA Sports, ATTSN-PT, NBCSWA

After missing Pittsburgh's past two practices, Sheary is listed as week to week with a lower-body injury sustained in a 5-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. He has 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) in 52 games this season.
Forward Bryan Rust will move from fourth-line right wing, where forward Ryan Reaves could play Friday, to Sheary's spot on the first line.
The Penguins will try to match their season-long four-game winning streak. Pittsburgh is 8-2-0 in its past 10 games.
The Capitals, who lead the second-place New Jersey Devils by five points in the Metropolitan Division, will attempt to win their third straight game following a three-game losing streak (0-1-2). They have scored nine goals in their past two games after scoring six in their previous three.
Washington, 8-2-2 in its past 12 games, lost 3-2 to Pittsburgh on Oct. 11 and defeated the Penguins 4-1 on Nov. 10.

Players to watch

Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in his past 11 games.
Penguins center Sidney Crosby's next goal will be his 400th in the NHL. He has 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in a 10-game point streak.

They said it

"This is a great rivalry. It's been that way for years, so I look forward to it." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
"A lot of love on the ice. Two teams that like each other. A lot of handshakes and smiles. No, obviously, a physical, in-your-face game. I expect a lot of the same tonight." -- Penguins forward Ryan Reaves

Capitals projected lineup

Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Tom Wilson
Andre Burakovsky -- Nicklas Backstrom -- T.J. Oshie
Chandler Stephenson -- Lars Eller -- Brett Connolly
Alex Chiasson -- Jay Beagle -- Devante Smith-Pelly
Christian Djoos -- John Carlson
Matt Niskanen -- Dmitry Orlov
Brooks Orpik -- Madison Bowey
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratched: Taylor Chorney, Jakub Vrana
Injured:None

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Penguins projected lineup

Dominik Simon -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Patric Hornqvist
Jake Guentzel -- Riley Sheahan -- Phil Kessel
Tom Kuhnhackl -- Carter Rowney -- Ryan Reaves
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Ian Cole -- Jamie Oleksiak
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched: Chad Ruhwedel, Matt Hunwick, Jean-Sebastien Dea
Injured: Conor Sheary (lower body)

Status report

The Capitals are expected to dress the same lineup that played in their 5-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. … Hunwick (upper body) has been cleared to play, but is not expected to return Friday. Rowney (upper body) will be a game-time decision.

Stat pack

The Capitals are 19-8-4 (42 points) against the Eastern Conference this season, the second-most points against the conference in the NHL behind the Boston Bruins (44 points in 29 games). … Malkin has six points (five goals, one assist) in his past two games and 17 points (12 goals, five assists) in his past 10.