We’re moving towards decision time at Capitals’ training camp. Tonight, Washington (1-2-1) travels to Nashville for preseason game No. 5 and it’s another opportunity for the younger players to grab hold of a job. At the morning skate at Kettler Iceplex, Mathieu Perreault anchored the second line with Mattias Sjogren the third-line center and Cody Eakin there on the fourth line. Looks like Chris Bourque and Dmitry Orlov will travel with the team as extras in case of injury/illness, but neither is expected to play. Tomas Vokoun will start in goal against one of his former teams.
Bourque and Orlov skated both sessions of Wednesday’s practice – the actual morning skate and then a skating session under the watchful eye of assistant coach Dean Evason. That one included the seven Caps not traveling to Nashville.
“There’s a lot of things settled in my mind. It’s up to them to change my mind,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said of his notions about a final 23-man roster and line combinations for opening night. “But I’ve got an idea of what the lineup is going to be. We’ve got these three games. The only difference is if someone changes my mind both positively or negatively.”
Defenseman Sean Collins is one player with a good shot at earning that No. 7 role on the blueline. John Erskine, who had shoulder surgery over the summer, was still sporting the orange no-contact jersey. With preseason games on Friday and Sunday, it’s hard to see Erskine being ready for the start of the season. Collins, who saw action in a playoff game last spring for Washington, is the logical choice, though Orlov and Patrick McNeill are both still on the training camp roster.
“I guess they’re expecting Nashville to dress a pretty good lineup,” Collins said. “They’ll have a lot of their regulars in so it’s a chance for me to try and do what I do.”
Boudreau said the coaching staff would see how the game goes tonight but that another round of cuts “makes sense” for Thursday. Here are the lines for the Nashville game, which begins at 8 p.m.
Semin-Backstrom-Ward
Laich-Perreault-Brouwer
Chimera-Sjogren-Knuble
King-Eakin-Beagle
D-men: Alzner, Carlson, Schultz, Green, McNeill, Collins, Orlov.
Goalies were Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth.
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