Capitals at Canucks preview

CAPITALS (3-2-2) at CANUCKS (5-3-0)
10 p.m. ET; SNP, NBCSWA+, NHL.TV

Washington, which is beginning a three-game Canada road trip, is coming off a 6-5 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday and has allowed 18 goals in its past four games (1-2-1).
Goalie Braden Holtby, who was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots against the Panthers, will start for the Capitals.
Vancouver is 4-1-0 in its past five games, including a 2-1 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, and will start goalie Anders Nilsson, who is 3-1-0 with a 2.26 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.

Players to watch

Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past five games and leads Washington with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in seven games.
Canucks forward Bo Horvat has scored three goals in his past four games, including the overtime winner against the Bruins.

They said it

"It doesn't happen overnight despite the success we had last year playing virtually the same system. The players don't watch video all summer like we do, so it has to be retaught and re-emphasized and sometimes you have to learn some hard lessons, and we have." -- Capitals coach Todd Reirden on improving the defense
"Both guys are playing good and that's what you want, internal competition. I'd rather have two No. 1 guys than a No. 1 and a No. 2." -- Canucks coach Travis Green on goalies Anders Nilsson and Jacob Markstrom

Capitals projected lineup

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

Canucks projected lineup

Nikolay Goldobin -- Bo Horvat -- Brock Boeser
Sven Baertschi -- Adam Gaudette -- Jake Virtanen
Antoine Roussel -- Brandon Sutter -- Loui Eriksson
Tim Schaller -- Mikael Granlund -- Tyler Motte
Alexander Edler -- Chris Tanev
Derrick Pouliot -- Troy Stecher
Ben Hutton -- Erik Gudbranson
Anders Nilsson
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched:Michael Del Zotto, Brendan Leipsic
Injured:Elias Pettersson (concussion), Jay Beagle (broken arm)

Status report

Washington will play with the new lines it used after falling behind 4-1 against the Panthers on Friday. … Pettersson, who will miss his fourth straight game, skated with the Canucks on Monday for the first time since he was injured against the Panthers on Oct. 13. Coach Travis Green said there is a "good chance" Pettersson will travel with them for their two-game road trip Wednesday and Thursday.

Stat pack

Washington has scored 4.14 goals per game, which leads the NHL, but has allowed 3.86 goals per game, fourth most in the League. … Backstrom needs two assists for 600 in his NHL career. … Gudbranson will play his 400th NHL game.