GDT #82 Caps at Penguins L 5-2

[alta]

April 17 vs Penguins at PPG Paints Arena
Time: 7:00
TV: ESPN
Radio: 106.7 FM, Caps Radio 24/7

Washington Capitals 51-21-9
PP% 23.3(14th)  PK% 82.3(4th)  Faceoff% 50.2(16th)
Pittsburgh Penguins 33-36-12
PP% 25.6(6th)  PK% 78(18th)  Faceoff% 52.8(5th)

Caps anticipated lines:
Ovechkin(C) 8 - Strome 17 - Beauvillier 72
McMichael 24 - Dubois 80 - Wilson(A) 43
Mangiapane 88 - Eller 20 - Leonard 9
Duhaime 22 - Dowd 26 - Raddysh 16
Frank 53

Sandin 38 - van Riemsdyk 57
Chychrun 6 - McIlrath 52
Alexeyev 27

Stevenson 33
Lindgren 79 - backup

PP1: Ovechkin, Strome, Wilson, Dubois, Chychrun
PP2: Ovechkin

scratched:
Roy 3
Fehérváry 42
Carlson(A) 74

injured:
Protas 21 - lower body
Thompson 48 - upper body

LTIR:
Milano 15 - upper body
Backstrom 19 - hip - season
Oshie 77 - back - season

Pens anticipated lines:
Koivunen 41 - Crosby(C) 87 - Rust(A) 17
Heinen 43 - Malkin(A) 71 - Rakell 67
Dewar 19 - Koppanen 15 - Tomasino 53
Poulin 22 - Ponomarev 11 - Puustinen 48


Grzelcyk 24 - Karlsson 65
Shea 5 - Timmins 20
Graves 27 - Kolyachonok 23


Nedeljkovic 39
Jarry 35 - backup

tonight’s zebras:
Brandon Schrader 34, Justin Kea 36
CJ Murray 68, Dan Kelly 98

https://scoutingtherefs.com/2025/04/48180/todays-nhl-referees-and-linespersons-4-17-25/

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/skate-shavings-news-and-notes-from-caps-morning-skate-x6859

https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/caps-conclude-24-25-season-vs-pens

scoring summary
1st period:
McMichael(26) from Wilson at 4:08
Rust from Koivunen and Grzelcyk at 4:54
2nd period:
Rust PPG from Crosby and Koivunen at 7:19
Crosby from Tomasino and Dewar at 11:56
Ovechkin(44) PPG from Strome and Dubois at 16:56
3rd period:
Heinen unassisted at 8:46
Tomasino from Rakell and Grzelcyk at 9:01

Caps lose 5-2

[alta]

Word is Stevenson will start in goal.

[BlackIce]

Word is Stevenson will start in goal.

..... which to me is a sure indication that Logan Thompson isn't ready to tend goal in the early stages of the playoffs.  If he were rounding into condition, the Caps would have him in goal tonight if at all possible, just to get him some kind of action before the playoffs start.   


And if he is ready at some point in the playoffs and the Caps haven't yet been eliminated, Carbery is going to have to find exactly the right spot to get him back into action. 

[richkrt99]

I agree...if Thompson was ready he'd be playing tonight.  The timing of Thompson (and Protus) injuries just sucked.  It's hard slip a goalie back in the middle of playoffs who hasn't had any game time in the last couple weeks.
Protus will be easier to toss in there if/when he's ready, but we need solid netminding if we wanna go anywhere.
I heard Thompson practiced with the team day before the Isles game so I would think he's got to be getting close.  G1 is Monday which is a full week after Thompson will have practiced with the team

[BlackIce]

Rich, have you -- or anyone -- heard anything about Protas' recovery/status?  I haven't heard a word. 

[alta]

Pre game in the radio said all forwards are ready, but didn’t specify Protas. Also, Carlson, Roy and Fehérváry are out.


Still no Protas.

[richkrt99]

Nope.  Nada.  Bumpkiss.  Zilch.  I asked that yesterday or day before I think, and nothing (which to me is bad)
IF he were skating, we'd of heard SOMETHING. Protus is a huge piece and I think espicially a guy who'd make a playoff difference.  Sucks to not have him.

[Surreylily]

Morning. 

[Surreylily]

 

[richkrt99]

YAY!!!!


pfffffffff!!!!   

[alta]

Morning. 

 

[Mickstix]

They hope Proti skates this week.

Washington Capitals News and Community


So, all the D are healthy scratch? Coach trying to spark something with Dubi taking shifts on D? Or are we hurt? 


So far the post and Stevenson saving us from game 82 embarrassment. 

[alta]

I’m assuming the D are scratched, but, this is the 3rd game in a row Carlson has been “resting”, which leaves them with 5 dressed D men. There is no one else without calling up someone from Hershey.

[Surreylily]

It's all very civilised so far.

[alta]

Pittsburgh is trying to improve my opinion of them..


https://x.com/SethRorabaugh/status/1913011303716626546

[Mickstix]

I’m assuming the D are scratched, which leaves them with 5 dressed D men.

And normally they'd roll with that, but ESPN said twice that Dubois may take shits on D. Said he told em' he played D in college. So it's been talked about.

[alta]

1 to 1 after one

[Mickstix]

They killed us that period. Need to wake up! Hopefully Ovi shows them why he's the Great Fucking 8 sometime tonight!

[justwincaps]

The intermission report sounded more positive about LT.

[alta]

Duhaime only skated one shift in the 1st, 52 seconds of ice time. He is on the bench for the start of the second.