Caps host rival Penguins tonight on NBCSN

by Matt Bachota · October 11, 2017

The Washington Capitals bring their fourth highest goals per game average into tonight’s game where they host the Penguins during Wednesdays rivalry night! Washington averaging 4.33 goals per game will need all the offense they can muster tonight when they face off against Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, Matt Murray and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Only the leafs (6.33), the blackhawks (6.33), the devils (5.25) and the Lightning (4.33) have scored more so far this season

After starting the season with three straight games against the Atlantic Division, the Caps now face three games in four nights against the Metropolitan Division . First up are the Pittsburgh Penguins who make the first of their two visits to Capital One Arena on Wednesday night.

After the Pens on Wednesday, the Caps will depart for a two-game, back-to-back road trip to New Jersey on Friday and Philadelphia on Saturday.

Wednesday’s game marks the NHL debut of Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos, who will skate on the left side of Washington’s third defensive pairing tonight. Christian is the son of former NHLer Par Djoos. Djoos was the Capitals’ seventh-round choice (195th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Last season, Djoos totaled 13 goals and 58 points in 66 games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, finishing third in the league in scoring among defensemen.

Djoos will play alongside Aaron Ness tonight. The two have been teammates in Hershey for the last two seasons, but haven’t played much together, as Troy Mann (Hershey Bears head coach) and the Washington system likes to keep a righty with a lefty on the blue line.

Tonight’s lines, defensive pairings, and starting goaltender for tonight along with scratches are as follows:

Forwards

8-Ovechkin, 92-Kuznetsov, 13-Vrana

65-Burakovsky, 19-Backstrom, 77-Oshie

10-Connolly, 20-Eller, 39-Chiasson

91-Graovac, 83-Beagle, 25-Smith-Pelly

Defensemen

9-Orlov, 2-Niskanen

44-Orpik, 74-Carlson

29-Djoos, 55-Ness

Starting goaltender 70-Holtby

Scratches 4-Chorney, 79-Walker, 43-Wilson