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.

WSH lines and pairs ahead of tonight’s must-win Game 5 vs. BOS:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Mantha
Sprong-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Sheary-Eller-Oshie
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway

Orlov-Carlson
Dillon-Schultz
Chara-Jensen

Samsonov
Anderson
Copley#Caps #CapsBruins

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) May 23, 2021

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

Capitals PP1:

Carlson, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mantha, Oshie.

PP2: Orlov, Schultz, Kuznetsov, Eller, Wilson.

So Kuznetsov to second unit. Mantha to top unit.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 23, 2021

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

Ilya Samsonov was first goalie off the ice for the Capitals at the end of the morning skate.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 23, 2021

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.

Michal Kempny no longer wearing a non-contact jersey for the Capitals, warming up today before their morning skate.

He’s probably down the depth chart as far as playing options, but progressing.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 23, 2021

Meanwhile, the Bruins lined up like this.

#NHLBruins morning rushes:

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak
Hall – Krejci – Smith
Ritchie – Coyle – DeBrusk
Kuraly – Lazar – Wagner

Grzelcyk – McAvoy
Reilly – Carlo
Tinordi – Clifton

Rask
Swayman pic.twitter.com/thcxWfeMZR

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 23, 2021

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB