Caps Get Two Big Pieces Back on Sunday
Caps welcome both Backstrom and Wilson back into their lineup on Sunday vs. Blue Jackets
When the Caps take the ice for Sunday's late afternoon match against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena, they will do so with a decidedly different look. For the first time in 2022-23, both Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson will suit up for action.
Backstrom has been bothered by a left hip ailment for years now, trying various ways of dealing with it and working around it and playing through it before undergoing a hip resurfacing procedure after the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He missed the first 28 games of last season after months of rest and rehab, and he missed the first 42 games of this season following hip resurfacing surgery, but he is now set to make his season's debut on Sunday against Columbus.
In the opening game of last spring's playoff series against Florida, Wilson suffered an ACL injury that required surgery and a lengthy rehab, and now No. 43 is also ready to suit for the first time in '22-23, just in time for game No. 43 of the season.
"Obviously we want to keep moving forward with what we're doing as a team, but you're also talking about a couple of big pieces on our team as well," says Caps coach Peter Laviolette. "Nick was the leading scorer of this team two years ago, and he was dealing with things from a physical standpoint that probably not as good as he is right now. He looks good and feels good, but I would imagine it's probably going to get back in there and get up to game speed and game shape, but these are two big pieces of our organization. Nick, obviously for a long time and Tom, the impact that he has had for the last five years, his years just keep getting better and better and he's moving into the prime of his career. We're excited to get these guys back."
In order to make room on the roster for Backstrom and Wilson, Washington loaned forward Aliaksei Protas to AHL Hershey and placed forward Joe Snively on waivers. If Snively clears waivers at 2 p.m. on Sunday, he will also report to Hershey.
Following a stretch of three games in four nights, the Caps were off on Saturday, so we'll find out on Sunday how the Caps will lineup with their two veteran leaders back in the lineup. With the team now in the early stages of the second half of the season, the hope is that the return of Backstrom and Wilson will give the club a lift during what are normally the dog days of the season, and that the resulting lift will help the two veterans to return to midseason speed and form as soon as possible.
"Yeah, 100 percent," says Wilson. "I think that's exactly what it is. And even just being back with the group practicing, you try and bring that kind of fresh mindset to the group and just have fun. You miss being around the guys, so when you can join back up with them, it's a lot of fun. And for the regular season, it's kind of the middle of the dog days here. So when you get back, you've got to keep that in mind and be the guy that brings the energy and stuff like that. It's been an up and down kind of season, but they're playing really well right now."
"I think the team is playing great," says Backstrom. "And it's not easy to just jump in playing right away after missing so long. But at the end of the day, you've just got to get in there right away and hopefully you can get some help from your teammates because they're on a roll and maybe it makes stuff easier for you."
The Caps defeated the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Thursday night, claiming a 6-2 victory to establish a franchise record with their seventh straight road win. Washington then returned home and lost a 3-2 decision to the Nashville Predators on Friday night, falling on Ryan McDonagh's goal with 3:16 left in regulation. The loss to the Preds marks the first time in over three weeks that the Caps come out of a game with no points; they were 7-0-2 since losing a 2-1 decision to Dallas here on Dec. 15.
It's been more than a month since the Capitals lost a game by more than a goal; they fell 5-2 to the Flames in Calgary on Dec. 3. Washington is 15-4-3 in its last 22 games.
Columbus comes to town on the heels of a Saturday afternoon home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Jackets did the Caps a favor, handing the Canes their third straight loss, a 4-3 shootout decision.
Blue Jackets rookie Kirill Marchenko became the League's first rookie to record a hat trick this season, scoring all three Columbus goals in regulation and adding another to lead off the shootout. Each of Marchenko's first two goals came on the power play, staking the Jackets to a 2-0 lead in the second period. After Carolina rallied to take a 3-2 lead, Marchenko scored the tying tally early in the third, and Columbus forced overtime by killing off a penalty in the final 1:55 of regulation and the first five seconds of overtime, which was played without a whistle and entirely at 4-on-4.
Joonas Korpisalo made 39 saves to earn the win for Columbus, so the Caps are likely to see Elvis Merzlikins in net on Sunday in Washington. Merzlikins stopped 31 of 37 Caps shots in Thursday's 6-2 loss, his first start since Dec. 13.
