Here are the Capitals lines ahead of Game Five – Russian Machine Never Breaks

The Washington Capitals will face elimination for the first time in Game Five, Sunday night. After losing both games in Boston, the Caps return home to Capital One Arena trailing the Boston Bruins in their first-round series 3-1.

The Capitals and Bruins played three consecutive overtime games, before the Bruins blew the Caps out 4-1 in Game Four. Washington looked tired and listless in their performance.

With so much on the line, coach Peter Laviolette has chosen to keep the Capitals lineup mostly the same. Daniel Sprong will get a jersey for Michael Raffl, but that’s it.

Here are the lines via The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir.

The Caps special teams units lined up like this per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti.

Ilya Samsonov will start his third consecutive game for the first time this season.

One positive development was that Michal Kempny has shed his non-contact jersey so he appears close to being a reserve option if the Capitals can go deeper in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Bruins lined up like this.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB