A Deeper Dive Into The Capitals' Lineup Changes For Game 5 — And Why They're Coming Now
The Capitals are putting all their chips on the table going into a do-or-die game against the Hurricanes.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — With their backs against the wall and a historic season on the line, the Washington Capitals are treating Game 5 as they would any other game, according to coach Spencer Carbery.
That means making tweaks where necessary, and an elimination game in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is no exception.
Still, with his team dropping back-to-back games and on the verge of elimination, it’s as good a time as any for change, and ultimately, that change is necessary.
“Every morning as a staff, with the collaboration of our management, of what puts us in the best position possible to have success that night,” Carbery explained. “And we evaluate every single position of the team and look at ways that we can put the team in the best position possible. You use a lot of different factors. I could go into a list of them, of hands; too many changes, to your point; who's played with who; all that stuff, and you take it all into account."
Those aforementioned modifications to the lineup are big ones for the Capitals, ones they haven’t really seen much of this season. For the first time, Lars Eller is set to it out as a healthy scratch, with Connor McMichael set to return to his natural role down the middle and play between Andrew Mangiapane and Ryan Leonard on the third line.
The hope is that McMichael’s speed and offensive ability he’s showcased so far this season and through the playoffs can rub off on the rest of that trio, which has struggled to get much going in the way of offense while also failing to finish on its chances.
“He's a good hockey player. He helps us in a lot of different areas. Penalty kill, power play, his pace of play,” Carbery explained. “When he's using his feet, his quickness to evade big, long defenders. He's a good player for us. He has been all year."
With McMichael leaving his place on the second line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas will shift down into that role. It adds size and speed to a dangerous and physical line that also plays a key shutdown role, and can also pack a punch offensively when given the chance. Protas’ presence could also help further ignite Dubois, who has just three assists in nine playoff games.
Then, on the top unit, Anthony Beauvillier will take Protas’ place, reuniting him with Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin. Beauvillier, a “Swiss Army knife” utility player for the Capitals, started the postseason on that top line and shined in that role, bringing a lot of speed and physicality to that combination. It also gives Strome another fast winger to work with, and Ovechkin another complementary playmaker.
“I think he’s a hard-working guy. Obviously, he has skill," Ovechkin said.
"Sometimes guys just rise to the occasion, and I feel like he's a guy that does that," Strome added. "We're happy to have him."
With Eller out, Taylor Raddysh will draw back in after being a healthy scratch for Game 4. He will fill in where he’s been most of the year, on the right wing on the fourth line with Nic Dowd and Brandon Duhaime. As a player who has strong underlying possession metrics at 5-on-5, he’s proven to have good chemistry there and can play a good two-way role, and in the games he’s appeared in this series, he’s had a couple of good looks, to boot.
Defensively, Carbery is sticking with the same players, but there is question regarding Alex Alexeyev’s role. He skated just over five minutes in Game 4, and didn’t play for the final five minutes and change of the second and the entirety of the third, meaning that D.C. was basically rolling five defensemen at that point.
Alexeyev was skating in his usual spot with Trevor van Riemsdyk at Wednesday’s practice, and despite the circumstances surrounding his minutes, making a change there isn’t as easy as it seems; Dylan McIlrath could draw in to bring some physicality, but hasn’t played an NHL game in a while and also doesn’t bring the same speed Alexeyev does. Ethan Bear, meanwhile, had an All-Star AHL campaign, but hasn’t played in the NHL all year. So, throwing him into that role isn’t exactly ideal.
Finally, Logan Thompson stays in net despite nine goals against over the last two games.
“Very simply put, these moments when chips are in the middle of the table and our season's on the line, he's a pretty safe bet,” Carbery said. “He's a pretty safe bet because you know he's going to lay absolutely everything he's got on the line for his teammates. He wants to win as bad as anybody in our room, so I've got a lot of confidence."
On special teams, the power play got a makeover, with John Carlson off the first unit and Connor McMichael stepping into that vacant role up top. Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun are running the points. As for PP2, Ryan Leonard and Aliaksei Protas will get looks there.
PP1: Connor McMichael, Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome, Alex Ovechkin, Jakob Chychrun
PP2: Ryan Leonard, Aliaksei Protas, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson
The Capitals host Carolina for Game 5 at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Capital One Arena.