Capitals' Hendrix Lapierre: Pockets helper in loss

Lapierre notched an assist in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Canucks.

The helper was Lapierre's first point in five games this season. The 23-year-old is seeing bottom-six minutes as a center -- while Lapierre's listed on the third line, Nic Dowd's defensive play as the fourth-line center typically leads to more ice time down the middle for the latter. Lapierre should stick in the lineup until Pierre-Luc Dubois (lower body) is able to return, which could be as soon as Tuesday versus the Kraken.