With so many of the Bruins' stalwarts sitting out, the club will use the game as an opportunity to evaluate some of its depth, including youngsters Jack Studnicka, Zach Senyshyn, and Oskar Steen.
"We are basically a little banged up, so we're going to use that opportunity to give guys maintenance days," said Cassidy. "Other guys are in the lineup to maybe show what our fourth line looks like in this particular environment. Who are the depth guys, who comes in first, second, third at each position? So, you get another look at them, guys that you haven't seen in a while, like a Steen, a Senyshyn, that were here. We got healthy so they got pushed out.
"Studs is another guy that hasn't been here in a while, so how has the time in Providence benefitted him? There are some guys in that list that have played here that we may or may not use as the playoffs go on. If we get where we want to go - we've learned from past experience - that you will need to reach down into your lineup.
"This is a viewing for them, an opportunity for them to show us. And that's what we're here to do, and in the meantime, win a hockey game."
Ondrej Kase will also sit out after leaving Monday night's game with what was termed as an upper-body injury. The winger's return to the lineup after four months with a concussion lasted merely two periods, though Cassidy said on Tuesday morning that his departure was unrelated to his previous injury and is likely more of a conditioning issue.
"It had been his first game in a long time, so I was told he just didn't feel like he was getting through it at where he needed to be," said Cassidy. "So, the training staff, they decided to say, 'OK, let's cut it short tonight and we'll see where it ends up.'
"Obviously, he's not going to play tonight. We'll have a better assessment, Wednesday's a day off for everybody. He'll be in to see the trainers, so we'll probably have a much better idea either Wednesday or Thursday of how he came out of it."
The Bruins will return home to Boston following the game against the Capitals and take a day off on Wednesday, before returning to Warrior Ice Arena for practices on Thursday and Friday in preparation of Game 1 on Saturday night back in the nation's capital.
"[Wednesday], everyone's off," said Cassidy. "I just feel that after the amount of time we've spent at the rink playing and the energy expended to play well... it's good to have an also mental break, too. I think we can get in the rink Thursday, start our conversations about Washington tendencies, build those into practice, get our lights back under us. Friday, drill down a little more. I know that Saturday we're starting.
"I think we have enough time. I was happy to hear we weren't starting right away, it was going to be Saturday, and even Sunday would have been fine for us. I think after that, now you're getting a little bit too long, now guys are hungry and they want to get going.
"I think it's a good starting date for us would have been the weekend, and obviously it's Saturday night."
