Yahoo Sports Capitals Notebook: Ovechkin Back On Top Line & Power Play As He Gears Up For Return, Eller Also Back
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals could see Alex Ovechkin back in the mix sooner rather than later, as the captain ramped things up with the team returning from its holiday break on Friday.
Ovechkin was a full go once again at practice and skated on the top line with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas, while also taking part in work on the first power play unit as he returned to his signature office.
All signs are pointing toward the 39-year-old making his return to the lineup on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With Ovechkin back in the mix, the forward lines reverted to what they looked like in November, with Connor McMichael reuniting with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tom Wilson and Taylor Raddysh returning to the fourth line with Brandon Duhaime and Nic Dowd.
Lars Eller, who missed the last handful of games before the break with an illness, was also back at practice and centering the third line between Jakub Vrana and Andrew Mangiapane.
Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre were the extras, and in order to activate Ovechkin and Eller off the injured reserve, one of them will have to be sent down to the AHL's Hershey Bears.
Here were the full combinations at Friday's practice, which saw players take part in some intense work:
Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Aliaksei Protas
Connor McMichael-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Tom Wilson
Jakub Vrana-Lars Eller-Andrew Mangiapane
Brandon Duhaime-Nic Dowd-Taylor Raddysh
Rasmus Sandin-John Carlson
Jakob Chychrun-Trevor van Riemsdyk
Martin Fehervary-Matt Roy
Charlie Lindgren
Logan Thompson
The Capitals are on the road for the next two games, visiting Toronto on Saturday before facing the Detroit Red Wings in the second game of a back-to-back on Sunday.
