5 Keys: Capitals at Penguins, Game 4

CAPITALS at PENGUINS
7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN
Washington leads best-of-7 series 2-1
PITTSBURGH --Tom Wilson will not play for the Washington Capitals against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday.

Wilson was suspended three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday for an illegal hit on Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese at 9:47 of the second period in Game 3. Without their first-line right wing, the Capitals must adjust if they hope to take a 3-1 series lead.
RELATED: [Complete Capitals vs. Penguins series coverage]
The Penguins will look to rebound from losing their past three home games. They are 1-3 in Pittsburgh during the Stanley Cup Playoffs after going 30-9-2 at home in the regular season.
Here are 5 keys for Game 4:

1. Capitals replacing Wilson

Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov receive most of the attention on Washington's first line, but Wilson has done his part with four assists in the first three games of the series. Devante Smith-Pelly, who has three points (two goals, one assist) in nine playoff games, will take Wilson's place.
"I don't think it changes anything for us," coach Barry Trotz said. "We have a lot of resolve in our group."

2. Murray rebounding

Matt Murray has struggled relative to how he performed during the previous two playoffs. He is 5-4 with a 2.48 goals-against average and .906 save percentage this postseason after going 22-9 with a 1.95 GAA and .928 save percentage in his first two.

Pittsburgh's 23-year-old goaltender has shown glimpses of his past brilliance. He shut out the Philadelphia Flyers in Games 1 and 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round but allowed four goals on 22 shots Tuesday.

3. Ovechkin, Backstrom continuing to roll

Trotz wasn't surprised when Nicklas Backstrom and Ovechkin combined for the game-winning goal in Game 3. Backstrom carried the puck on a 2-on-1 before passing to Ovechkin, who tipped it off the post before batting out of midair and over Murray.

Ovechkin has five goals on a four-game goal streak. Backstrom has four points (one goal, three assists) in his past two games. They'll look to stay hot Thursday.
"I think it's a situation where our locker room already is close," Ovechkin said. "We're together and we always said, 'It doesn't matter what happens. We're going to stick together and play for each other.'"

4. Depth scoring from the Penguins

Pittsburgh's top line of Sidney Crosby centering left wing Jake Guentzel and right wing Patric Hornqvist has been electric. One of those three scored each of the Penguins' three goals in Game 3.
The rest of the lineup hasn't contributed as much. Crosby, Guentzel and Hornqvist have combined for 20 playoff goals. Everyone else has scored 15.
"We have a lot of guys that can contribute," center Riley Sheahan said. "Obviously, our first line has been playing well for us, but it's time for some other guys to step up."

5. Washington's power play

After failing to convert on one chance in Game 1, the Capitals have scored one power-play goal in each of the past two games. The surprising thing is neither of those two goals has come from Ovechkin.
The Capitals have converted on 31.4 percent of their chances in the playoffs, second behind the Boston Bruins (34.6 percent).

Capitals projected lineup

Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Devante Smith-Pelly
Chandler Stephenson -- Nicklas Backstrom -- T.J. Oshie
Jakub Vrana -- Lars Eller -- Brett Connolly
Shane Gersich -- Jay Beagle -- Alex Chiasson
Dmitry Orlov -- Matt Niskanen
Michal Kempny -- John Carlson
Brooks Orpik -- Christian Djoos
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratched: Jakub Jerabek, Travis Boyd, Madison Bowey, Pheonix Copley, Nathan Walker
Injured:Andre Burakovsky (upper body)
Suspended:Tom Wilson

Penguins projected lineup

Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Patric Hornqvist
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel
Conor Sheary -- Derick Brassard -- Bryan Rust
Dominik Simon -- Riley Sheahan -- Tom Kuhnhackl
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Jamie Oleksiak -- Chad Ruhwedel
Matt Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratched:Daniel Sprong, Carter Rowney, Matt Hunwick, Josh Jooris, Tristan Jarry, Michael Leighton, Garrett Wilson, Jarred Tinordi, Lukas Bengtsson, Jean-Sebastien Dea, Adam Johnson, Teddy Blueger, Thomas Di Pauli, Chris Summers, Andrey Pedan
Injured: Zach Aston-Reese (broken jaw/concussion)

Status report

Gersich will make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut at fourth-line left wing for the Capitals. … Hagelin will be a game-time decision after missing the first three games of the series with an upper-body injury. If he plays, he could return to second-line left wing. If he doesn't, Sprong, Jooris or Rowney would enter the lineup.