As the Washington Capitals are set to face the New Jersey Devils, forward Jakub Vrana is a healthy scratch for the second straight game, according to Tarik El-Bashir of the Athletic.
Vrana has 23 points with 10 goals and 13 assists in 24 games. His plus-6 rating is second among Capitals forwards. However, he had just two points and a minus-3 rating in his last five games. Vrana has not scored a goal in his last 11 games.
Averaging 14:31 time on ice, Vrana has played less than 14 minutes in nine of his last 13 games.
“We’ve had many conversations just about his play with regard to the competitiveness of it and the speed of it,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said Friday of Vrana. “He is a very skilled player but there are other aspects of the game that are very important… We’re looking for a higher level of play.”
The Capitals won Friday’s game against the Devils 2-1 with Vrana sidelined. Both Capitals goals came from defensemen, including Dmitry Orlov’s impressive game-winner in overtime.
