Keep a close eye on warmup ahead of Game 3 of the Pittsburgh-Washington series.
Both head coaches will have lineup choices to make, and significant ones at that. For the Pens, three skaters -- Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin and Brian Dumoulin -- are all gametime decisions, while Washington will wait to make the call on defenseman Karl Alzner.
Hornqvist is questionable after getting hit by a John Carlson shot in the first period of Saturday’s 6-2 win. He exited the contest, didn’t return, and didn’t participate in this morning’s skate. Also missing were Hagelin (undisclosed) and Dumoulin (shaken up on a T.J. Oshie hit).
If Hornqvist can’t go, it’s possible Bryan Rust will jump up to play wing on the Sidney Crosby-Jake Guentzel line. Scott Wilson and Chad Ruhwedel are likely to draw back into the lineup to replace Hagelin and Dumoulin, if needed.
As for the Caps, Alzner could play his first playoff tilt since early in the Toronto series. Head coach Barry Trotz said the veteran d-man’s status would be determined after warmup, and suggested the Caps could dress seven blueliners tonight.