MATCH: Penguins vs. Capitals
TIME: 7:30 p.m. EST
PLACE: Capital One Arena
TV: NBCSN
RADIO: 105.9 FM, the X
5 NOTES ON THE GAME:
1. The Pens face the Caps for the first time this season, and first time since Pittsburgh won a decisive Game 7, 2-0, in Washington in the Second Round of the 2017 playoffs.
2. Forward Patric Hornqvist appears close to returning from a hand injury that has sidelined him for the first 3 games of the season. He worked in contact practice on Monday and skated in line rushes on Wednesday.
3. Defenseman Kris Letang is 1 point shy of the 300th of his career. He would become only the 2nd blueliner in club history (Paul Coffey) to achieve the mark.
4. Alex Ovechkin has 7 goals on the season already. He scored all 7 in the first 2 games of the year, posting back-to-back hat tricks.
5. During the regular-season matchup last year, Nicklas Backstrom collected 12 points (4G-8A) in 4 games, while T.J. Oshie had 10 (3G-7A).
INJURIES:
PIT - Patric Hornqvist (hand), Ian Cole (mouth)
WSH - None
MORNING SKATE:
* The only absent player from the Pens' morning skate was defenseman Ian Cole.
*The Pens used the following workflow…
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Sheary-McKegg-Hornqvist
Kuhnhackl-Rowney-Reaves
(Wilson, Archibald)
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Ruhwedel
Hunwick-Schultz
(Summers)
