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I’ve covered enough hockey to know that practice lines sometimes equal what happens in games and the percentage of that happening in the playoffs can be less. Some things might change before the game and others during the game.
Logan Thompson participated. Check, he’s going to play. That’s a no-brainer but I still contend without being in game action, he will be rusty and the Canadiens should test him immediately and often to start Game 1.
Aliaksei Protas wasn’t at practice. So what changes and who will come out of the lineup? Ryan Leonard was on the third line. Could the rookie be the first man out if Protas comes back and does that change yet another line? I think there’s a good chance that it will happen if Protas is ready. I think he will miss Game 1 but we don’t know that for sure.
Capitals defensman Martin Fehervary isn’t practicing. If he were ready for the first game the Capitals pairings would change. This is another reason why until line rushes, and even then some teams decoy players, I never talk about matchups ahead of time. Which line will go against the other for reasons such as this.
The Capitals are playing fast and loose so expect changes. That’s what I think. I also expect the Capitals to let Alex Ovechkin join other lines at ends of shifts to mess with the Canadiens. Jaromir Jagr used to do this and I can see Ovechkin doing this at points in the game to get more offensive chances.
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