A lot weighs on the Washington Capitals' shoulders on Tuesday as they look to not only end a six-game losing skid but also get back into a playoff position against the Detroit Red Wings, who are also gunning for a playoff spot.
Here is everything to know before puck drop at Little Caesars Arena in what will be the biggest game of the year so far.
Washington Capitals Line Combinations
Washington's lineup will get a bit of a shakeup, as T.J. Oshie returns from injury while Ivan Miroshnichenko will watch from the press box and be the healthy scratch up front with Nicolas Aube-Kubel drawing back in.
Related: Why Capitals Are Scratching Miroshnichenko For Aube-Kubel In Vital Showdown Against Red Wings: 'Been A Little Bit Overwhelming For Him'
Charlie Lindgren will get the start once again for D.C.
Here are the lines:
Alex Ovechkin-Connor McMichael-T.J. Oshie
Aliaksei Protas-Dylan Strome-Tom Wilson
Max Pacioretty-Hendrix Lapierre-Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn-Nic Dowd-Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary-John Carlson
Alex Alexeyev-Nick Jensen
Trevor van Riemsdyk-Vincent Iorio
Washington Capitals Injury Report
- T.J. Oshie is back after missing the last four games due to an upper-body injury.
- Rasmus Sandin is out with an upper-body injury and will miss some time after being hurt on a big hit back on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators.
- Nicklas Backstrom remains on indefinite leave after stepping away from the game of hockey in November with his hip not responding as he'd hoped following hip resurfacing surgery in June 2022.
Washington Capitals Storylines
- Alex Ovechkin has three goals in his last three games. He is one goal away from 30 goals this season, which would move him past Mike Gartner for the most 30-goal seasons in NHL history.
- Hendrix Lapierre has assists in five of the last seven games and ranks third among rookies in scoring since Feb. 26, when he was summoned back up to D.C.
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- Trevor van Riemsdyk has helpers in back-to-back games.
- Washington is looking to bust out of a six-game losing streak, where the team has been outscored 25-10 and has not managed over two goals in a game since March 26 against Detroit. Dylan Strome had the overtime winner in that game, a 4-3 victory for D.C.
Washington Capitals Playoff Odds
There is a 33 percent point swing for the Capitals depending on how tonight plays out per MoneyPuck.
With a win in regulation or overtime, Washington would be back in playoff position and see its playoff odds increase. With a regulation or overtime loss, the Capitals' losing streak will hit seven, and their playoff hopes will continue to dwindle.
Related: Capitals' Tilt With Red Wings Has Biggest Implications Yet; Playoff Odds & How Each Result Will Impact D.C.'s Chances
How To Watch Capitals vs. Red Wings
This game is nationally televised and will be available on ESPN.
Fans can also tune in on Caps Radio 24/7 and 106.7 FM The Fan .
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