Protas has performed well in a depth role for the Capitals this season and has been rewarded with a five-year, $17-million dollar extension. The 23-year-old Belarusian was the 91st-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and split the last two seasons between Washington and Hershey (AHL) before establishing himself as a full-time NHL player in 2023-24. He has three goals and 15 assists in 42 games this season while playing just over 13 minutes a night.

van Riemsdyk will get the chance to play on Thursday in place of the injured Joel Edmundson (undisclosed). van Riemsdyk has no goals and seven assists in 36 games this season.

Ovechkin has missed the last three games due to a lower-body injury, and his status remains up in the air ahead of Thursday's matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Before his injury, Ovechkin was riding a six-game point streak, scoring seven points (2G / 5A) in that span.

Thompson will start the fourth straight game for the Golden Knights as they continue to be cautious with Adin Hill (undisclosed), who has not played for the last month. Thompson was stellar in his last outing, saving 34 of 35 shots (.971 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators. The 26-year-old Thompson has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four games (3-1-0), posting a tremendous .943 SV%. The Golden Knights are +115 home underdogs on Thursday against the Metropolitan division-leading New York Rangers.

Lindgren will return to the crease on Thursday after watching Darcy Kuemper record a 2-0 shutout victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the last game for the Capitals. As he has been for most of the season, Lindgren has been excellent in his last two games since returning from injury (1-1-0), allowing only four total goals and posting a stellar .931 SV%. The Capitals are slight -109 home favourites against Lindgren's former club, the St. Louis Blues, amid a two-game losing streak.

Lindgren will likely return to the crease on Thursday after watching Darcy Kuemper record a 2-0 shutout victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the last game for the Capitals. As he has been for most of the season, Lindgren has been excellent in his last two games since returning from injury (1-1-0), allowing only four total goals and posting a stellar .931 SV%. The Capitals are slight -109 home favourites against Lindgren's former club, the St. Louis Blues, amid a two-game losing streak.

Ovechkin has missed the last three games due to a lower-body injury, and his status remains up in the air ahead of Thursday's matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Before his injury, Ovechkin was riding a six-game point streak, scoring seven points (2G / 5A) in that span.

Ovechkin has been a game-time decision in three straight games, missing two in a row, due to a lower-body injury. Before his injury, Ovechkin was riding a six-game point streak, scoring seven points (2G / 5A) in that span.

Ovechkin has been a game-time decision in three straight games, missing two in a row, due to a lower-body injury. Before his injury, Ovechkin was riding a six-game point streak, scoring seven points (2G / 5A) in that span.

Alexander Alexeyev is expected to fill in for van Riemsdyk, who will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday. In the Capitals' last game, van Riemsdyk played a season-high 22:26 and recorded a -2 plus/minus.

Alexeyev will play his first game with the Capitals since November 24th as Trevor van Riemsdyk will be a healthy scratch. In 10 games, the 24-year-old Alexeyev has one goal, six shots, and 11 blocks.

It's the second straight game Ovechkin will miss as the 38-year-old continues to nurse a lower-body injury. The Capitals were able to edge the Rangers 3-2 in the front-end of their home-and-home on Saturday. Ovechkin's next chance to return to the lineup will come on Tuesday when Washington hosts the Ducks.

Lindgren will get the rare start on back-to-back days for the back-end of the Capitals and Rangers home-and-home on Sunday. Lindgren delivered a solid performance against New York on Saturday, stopping 25 of the 27 shots he faced enroute to a 3-2 victory. He now owns an 8-3-3 record on the season to go along with his impressive .928 SV% and 2.25 GAA. Lindgren and the Capitals find themselves as +190 underdogs in New York on Sunday despite edging the Rangers yesterday afternoon.