SKATE SHAVINGS - News and Notes from Caps' Morning Skate 3/25

Back To Back -After four days between games, the Caps are back in action on Thursday night against New Jersey as they move into the back half of a six-game homestand. In a season with such a condensed schedule, having four straight days between games is quite a luxury, but the Caps will pay a "luxury tax" on that break starting tonight when they finish up the homestand with three games in less than 72 hours.

That said, the break was good for the Caps, and they split it into two rest days and two practice days. But the Caps also know they need to make certain that break is over in their minds and bodies before puck drop on Thursday against the Devils.
"I think the break is good," says Caps coach Peter Laviolette. "It gives some guys who were a little bit banged up a chance to heal. There are definitely positives that come from it.
"I've got concerns with just getting back up to speed. When you're in that grind, and you're playing three games in four nights and you're playing seven games in 10 nights or 11 nights, you're grinding every day. And with that, there is a mental mindset that goes with it.
"When you come out of a longer break, you decompress a little bit. So you're healthier, you're excited to get back and play, but you've got to remember all of the little things that it takes to win hockey games - the details and the energy and the execution. There are a lot of things that can make a team successful or not make them successful. So we've just got to make sure we're up to speed. This team, we know that they're quick and they're skilled. They're capable of playing a real strong game, so we've just got to be ready."
Indeed, they do know this. The Devils have been a handful for many foes this season, and they've snuck up on the Capitals in both previous games in D.C. this season. New Jersey roared out to a fast start it its first visit here on Feb. 21, opening up a 2-0 lead in the second period before Washington's power play put its stamp on the contest, scoring three goals to engineer a 4-3 come-from-behind victory.
In a March 9 meeting here, the Caps seemed to have things well in hand with a 4-1 lead in the third, but the plucky Devils struck for three goals in less than seven minutes in the third period to force overtime. It took a Jakub Vrana goal in the extra session to salvage the points for Washington, which has won each of the first four meetings between the two teams in 2020-21.
"They're a young team, and they've got lots of speed," says Caps defenseman Justin Schultz. "With those young legs, they're quick. I think for us, we've just got to be prepared for that, and we've got to use our own speed. We've got some quick guys too, and we can move the puck quick and play that way. But there are no easy games in this league, and that team has definitely given us some challenges."
Over the last few seasons, opponents with speed have occasionally posed big challenges for the Capitals. But more recently, the Caps seem to have found a way of playing against speedier teams that gives them a better chance of holding their own and picking up points.
"I think especially with the way we play," says Caps center Nic Dowd, "we have to continue to learn how to move the puck quickly, as these fast teams do. And we also have to continue to learn that our transition game can help us, but it can also be detrimental if we play these teams that are super quick on the counter, like the Rangers and New Jersey. So there is definitely learning experiences in there for sure.
"I think all seven [other] teams in our division are good teams, and they offer different wrinkles, and we're going to see that down the stretch."
Line Dancing - Lars Eller (lower body) will not play in Thursday's game against the Devils. The Caps are expected to deploy another hybrid type of lineup with some mixing and matching of the pieces in the forward group, but they are expected to dress a dozen forwards and six defensemen.
"Unless something changes this afternoon, we'll be going with 12 [forwards] and six [defensemen]," says Laviolette.
Asked whether T.J. Oshie would again man the middle of Washington's third line, Laviolette was more noncommittal.
"I'm not sure about that," says Laviolette. "I think we'll manage it. I'm sure you'll see him have some shifts at center."
The Kids Are All Right - New Jersey's season has had its share of peaks and valleys, but the Devils come to town on their best roll of the season, with a 4-1-1 record in their last six games. This back-to-back set with the Capitals serves as the middle of New Jersey's six-game road trip; the Devils opened that journey with wins in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, respectively, and they'll move on to Boston for a pair with the Bruins after departing the District.
A young and swift team with a fair amount of skill as well, the Devils have struggled mightily at home (4-11-2) this season but they own a strong 8-3-2 mark on the road. Recently, the Devils have settled on a group of forward lines that has been effective, and their special teams play has improved greatly from earlier in the campaign.
"Just last game, all four lines were effective," says Devils winger Kyle Palmieri. "I think when you have that, you give the coach the comfort that no matter what line he puts out there, you're going to be effective. I think that's something that over the course of the last four or five games, we've been able to build into.
"[Travis Zajac's] line has been playing great. Each and every line is getting some chances and being responsible defensively. As a group, that makes it really easy to play and it gets you excited and it's going to give you a chance to win every night. As long as we continue to do that and to compete, I think it's going to a great recipe for success for us."
The Devils started the season with points in eight of 11 games (6-3-2) but tumbled their way through a 2-11-1 stretch immediately after, a span that includes all four of their previous meetings with the Caps.
The 23-or-under portion of New Jersey's lineup has combined to produce 115 points this season, the most in the NHL. Five different 23-or-under Devils combined for eight points (two goals, six assists) in Tuesday night's 4-3 win over the Flyers in Philadelphia.
In The Nets - Vitek Vanecek will be in goal for Thursday's front end of the back-to-back set against the Devils. Washington has used three different goaltenders against New Jersey this season, and Vanecek started and won two of the first four meetings between the two teams this season, winning once in New Jersey and once in Washington.
In his last 11 starts, Vanecek is 8-2-1 with a shutout, a 2.06 GAA and a .923 save pct. In his two starts against the Devils, he is 2-0-0 with a 2.97 GAA and an .891 save pct.
For New Jersey, Mackenzie Blackwood gets the Thursday night start. Lifetime against the Capitals, Blackwood is 1-5-0 with a 3.48 GAA and an .878 save pct.
All Lined Up - Here is how we expect the Capitals and the Devils might look on Thursday night in the District for the backside of a set of back-to-back contests:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 92-Kuznetsov, 77-Oshie/
13-Vrana, 19-Backstrom, 43-Wilson
73-Sheary, 14Panik, 10-Sprong
62-Hagelin, 26-Dowd, 21-Hathaway
Defensemen
4-Dillon, 74-Carlson
9-Orlov, 2-Schultz
33-Chara, 3-Jensen
Goaltenders
41-Vanecek
30-Samsonov
Out
6-Kempny (Achilles' tendon)
Extras
34-Siegenthaler
57-van Riemsdyk
Taxi Squad
23-Sgarbossa (F)
28-Carr (F)
40-Pilon (F)
31-Anderson (G)
NEW JERSEY
Forwards
59-Kuokkanen, 19-Zajac, 17-Sharangovich
63-Bratt, 86-Hughes, 21-Palmieri
23-Maltsev, 37-Zacha, 39-Merkley
11-Johnsson, 20-McLeod, 44-Wood
Defensemen
24-Smith, 28-Severson
70-Kulikov, 76-Subban
22-Murray, 45-Vatanen
Goaltenders
29-Blackwood
41-Wedgewood
Out
13-Hischier (sinus fracture)
14-Bastian (lower body)
Extras
8-Butcher
47-Dell
97-Gusev