Calling the Washington Capitals’ newest forward trio a “fourth line” almost seems unfair. Asked about that grouping, again, Coach Barry Trotz smiled because it had been that good, again.
“I don’t know what to call that line,” Trotz said with a laugh.
Mike Richards, Jay Beagle and Daniel Winnik have been together for just four games, but it already seems like a perfect fit. They’ve formed a line of three defensive, penalty-killing forwards who can’t seem to stop spending time in the opposition’s zone. The three play a grinding, defensive style that wears down the other team, and they’ve also produced more offensive chances than Washington’s skilled lines, albeit in a small sample size.