Capitals Shake Up Lines For Final Tilt Before Break

With the Washington Capitals struggling as they approach the finish line before the All-Star Break, head coach Peter Laviolette is changing things up for the final game of the month against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Laviolette is shaking up the lines and making some tweaks with the team looking to finish the month with a win to set itself up for success before the time away to regroup.

The same 12 forwards and six defensemen will take the ice in Columbus, with Aliaksei Protas and Alex Alexeyev being the healthy scratches. Nic Dowd and Tom Wilson remain out with lower-body injuries, and John Carlson is still on the LTIR.

However, the forward lines will change. T.J. Oshie has been moved off the top line, and Sonny Milano and Nicklas Backstrom have been separated. Meanwhile, Evgeny Kuznetsov will center the third line, and the fourth line will remain the same.

Here are what the lines looked like at morning skate, per The Washington Post's Samantha Pell (who we'll miss as she covers her last game for the Post tonight)

Alex Ovechkin-Dylan Strome-Conor Sheary

Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie

Sonny Milano-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Anthony Mantha

Nicolas Aube-Kubel-Lars Eller-Garnet Hathaway

Erik Gustafsson-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Dmitry Orlov-Nick Jensen

Matt Irwin-Martin Fehervary

Charlie Lindgren will start for the Capitals, with Darcy Kuemper backing up. Kuemper was pulled for Lindgren last game after surrendering four goals in the second in a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena.