Expect Caps rookie center Marcus Johansson back on the third line tonight with wingers Jason Chimera and Matt Bradley. That group meshed well on Saturday against the Flyers with a combined four points. Johansson scored at 8 minutes, 10 seconds of the first period when Chimera slipped him a pretty pass in the slot. I asked Johansson if that was a legit feed or just a puck that rolled off Chimera’s stick – hard to tell sometimes from six stories up: Nope. He meant to do it and Johansson blasted a shot past Flyers goalie Brian Boucher for his second goal of the season – and first since Oct. 19.
Of course, Johansson missed six games with a hip injury and spent another two in the minors with AHL Hershey. He’d been held without a point the first four games back with Washington. That noted burst of speed seems to be returning, though.
“I felt pretty good and I felt comfortable out there [Saturday],” said Johansson, who was decked to the ice and never saw his goal go in, just started celebrating when the crowd erupted. “Always good to get a goal and get your confidence back.”
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