Penguins vs Capitals Game Preview

The Capitals are playing their first game since their 1st loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tonight is the Capitals' home opener, and they welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The Capitals are looking for their 2nd win of the season, and no better time than against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The projected lines for the Capitals:

Alex Tuch - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Tom Wilson

Alex Ovechkin - Dylan Strome - Anthony Beauvillier 

Alaiksei Protas - Ilya Protas - Jordan Kyrou

Boone Jenner - Justin Sourdif - Ryan Leonard

Jakob Chychrun - Timothy Liljegren

Martin Fehervary - Vincent Desharnais

Cole Hutson - Dylan McIlrath

Logan Thompson

Charlie Lindgren

The projected lines for the Penguins:

Hendrix Lapierre - Sidney Crosby - Rickard Rakell

Egor Chinakhov - Tommy Novak - Evgeni Malkin

Ville Koivunen - Ben Kindel - Bryan Rust

Connor Dewar - Blake Lizotte - Nick Robertson

Declan Carlile - Erik Karlsson

Samuel Girard - Kaedan Korczak

Trevor van Riemsdyk - Kris Letang

Arturs Silovs

Sergei Murashov

The Capitals have scratched Ivan Miroshnichenko and Ethen Frank and are without Rasmus Sandin (knee) and Matt Roy (lower body). The Penguins will be without Justin Brazeau (lower body) and Ryan Graves (knee), and they have scratched Elmer Soderblom, Ilya Solovyov, and Spencer Stastney, who was traded to the Penguins this morning. The Penguins' Bryan Rust is a game-time decision in tonight's matchup but is likely to play. It is also Hendrix Lapierre's first game back since being traded to Pittsburgh.

The goaltending matchup is looking like it will be Logan Thompson and Artur Silovs. Whenever the Penguins come to Washington, it's always a good game, and with this being one of Ovechkin's last games, the rivalry between these two teams feels even more special.

The Washington Capitals host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at 7:30 PM EST.