Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway have played together for 98:49 minutes of five-on-five this season. The trio has outscored opponents 5-3 at five-on-five, matching against the opposing team's top lines. More info on the trio and Caps Clips at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/jjSKQhkARy
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 3, 2021Usually, the duty of checking an opponents’ top line in hockey goes to another team’s top-six line, perhaps the third line - but rarely the fourth line. That’s why it’s fascinating that head coach Peter Laviolette, over the last six games at home with last change, decided that the Capitals’ fourth line of Carl Hagelin, Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway would be tasked with going up against the other teams’ top lines.