SKATE SHAVINGS – News and notes from Caps' Morning Skate

Feelin' Massachusetts – After the first off day of 2024 training camp on Monday, the Caps will hit the road for the first time in the preseason on Tuesday night. Tonight's preseason game against the Bruins in Boston will also kick off a series of back-to-back midweek games. The Caps will return from Beantown after today's game, but they'll grab some fresh players, fuel up the jet and head to Newark to play the Devils on Wednesday night.

Both the Caps and Bruins lost their respective home openers on Sunday afternoon. While the Caps lost 6-2 to Philadelphia, the Bruins were one goal shy of losing 3-2 to the Rangers.

The Caps will field a more experienced group for tonight's game in Boston, but eight of the players who played against the Flyers on Sunday will also be on the roster against Boston tonight.

“I talked to some of them today,” Caps coach Spencer Carbery said of those eight players. “As I said (on Sunday) after the game – and it was confirmed in some conversations today – they are very nervous. And whether it was the three o'clock game, the first game of the preseason, or whether they put pressure on themselves to perform and show what they can do, it was just a bad night for a lot of guys.”

“And hopefully now for the guys playing their second game it's more of a 'Okay, I feel good. I've got that behind me and now I can do my best and show what I can do.' And take a little bit of a weight off their shoulders, so to speak.”

Brothers in arms – After signing Belarusian striker Aliaksei Protas in the third round (91st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, the Caps again tapped into the Protas gene pool in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft last summer, selecting Ilya Protas with the 75th pick.

Because of their five-year age difference, 23-year-old Aliaksei and 18-year-old Ilya have practiced together, but they have never taken the ice as opponents or teammates in the same game. That should change tonight when the two Protas brothers put on the Caps' jerseys and face the Bruins.

“I'm sure it will be something special,” says big brother Aliaksei. “We couldn't have even dreamed of being on the same team. It will be something special.”

“The age difference is pretty big, especially when you're playing against juniors. So it's basically our first full game. Even in the summer, we don't play that much. But this is summer hockey, you know? It's a totally different situation. When you put on the NHL jersey in a preseason game, it's definitely different and we have to be proud of it and just take the opportunity and have fun.”

In the Caps' season opener on Sunday, Washington had five teenagers on the roster, four of whom were making their first NHL preseason appearances. Tonight in Boston, Ilya Protas will likely be the team's only teenager on the roster, although he won't be the only teenager on the Caps' roster; Andrew Cristall is one of a handful of players making their second appearance in as many preseason games.

“A little nervous, but excited,” says Ilya Protas. But that his brother is sitting on the same bench? “Oh yes, of course. That helps a lot.”

Before Ilya Protas left for Caps' rookie camp in Annapolis on Sept. 12, he stopped in Windsor, Ontario, where he will play for the OHL Spitfires. The younger Protas wanted to get familiar with the terrain in his new hometown – he played for USHL Des Moines last season – and get to know his new coaches and teammates.

While in town, Ilya played his first OHL preseason game, scoring a hat trick in a 6-3 win over Sarnia.

“It's fantastic,” the younger Protas said of his OHL preseason debut. “I was a little nervous before the game, you know. It was my first game at Windsor Arena. And I understand that this is just preseason, but I was nervous because it's a new organization, new fans, and you have to show something. And yeah, it was fantastic. It's a good group, the coaching staff trusts me and I'm excited to join this group.”

The Protas brothers are only the second pair of brothers to be both selected in the Washington Draft. The Caps drafted the Corriveau brothers a few decades ago, in 1991, when they selected Yvon in the first round (19th overall) and Rick in the eighth round (168th overall).

Brothers Dylan and Matt Strome are currently in their third training camp with the Caps. In the fall of 2001, the Caps had the Ferraro twins, Chris and Peter from Point Jefferson, NY, in their training camp. Chris played only one game for the Caps that season, and Peter appeared in four contests. On October 16, 2001, both Ferraro brothers appeared in the same game for Washington at Staples Center, a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

Chris Ferraro played the last of his 74 NHL games that night and was the primary assister on Ulf Dahlen's power-play goal midway through the second period. It is likely the last time two brothers will play for the Capitals, whether in the regular season or in a test game.

Focus – About three months after being signed in a trade from the Los Angeles Kings in late June, center PL Dubois will don the Caps' jersey for the first time tonight, manning the middle line with Connor McMichael on his left and Tom Wilson on his right.

“It's exciting,” Dubois said. “It's not the regular season, but it's a step in that direction, …

Dubois is one of seven offseason additions now trying to fit into the Caps' system and find his feet on the ground. He is expected to form one of the team's top two lines this season and also play a key role on Washington's best power play unit.

“That first (preseason) game – whether it's the first, second or third (for the team) – you always have to adjust a little bit,” Dubois said. “You always have to think – and sometimes you might be a little slow because you think too much – but the coaching staff has done a really good job, whether it's videos or just talking after or during practice, it's hockey at the end of the day. The system is obviously different from team to team, but it's the same sport.

“So my job tonight is to go out there and do what I can. And then we'll do some videos, talk and learn from our mistakes. But that's what preseason is for.”

In the networks – Hunter Shepard started the Caps' season opener against Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, leaving the goal to his goaltending partner in Hershey last year, Clay Stevenson. The two each had three goals on 14 shots, with Shepard scoring 30-22 and Stevenson 29-38.

Tonight in Boston, Shepard will start and is expected to last the entire distance, with support from second-year pro Mitchell Gibson.

Everything in a row – Here's how we expect the Capitals' lineup for Tuesday's preseason game in Boston. Here's the Bruins' expected squad:

WASHINGTON

Forward

24-McMichael, 80-Dubois, 43-Wilson

21-A. Protas, 29-Lapierre, 63-Miroshnichenko

28-Cristall, 23-Sgarbossa, 53-Frank

62-I. Protas, 58-Rybinski, 72-Dube

defender

42-Fehervar, 3-Roy

4-Heman-Aktell, 25-Bear

56-Priskie, 2-Iorio

goalkeeper

31-Shepherd

78-Gibson

BOSTON

Forward

53-Joey Abate

55-Justin Brazeau

38-Patrick Brown

11-Trent Frederic

72-Brett Harrison

90-Tyler Johnson

23-Fabian Lysell

26. Mark McLaughlin

42-Georgi Merkulov

64-Jaxon Nelson

51 – Matt Poitras

10-Riley Tufts

defender

79-Michael Callahan

25-Brandon Carlo

27-Hampus Lindholm

14. Ian Mitchell

82-Jordan Oesterle

58-Billy Sweezey

goalkeeper

80-Michael DiPietro

70-Joonas Korpisalo