With defenseman Tom Poti still out of the lineup, Sami Lepisto made his NHL debut.
The 23-year-old rookie from Espoo, Finland, was the Caps' third-round pick the 2004 draft and is the fifth member of that class (along with Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Jeff Schultz and Chris Bourque) to play for the Caps.
Lepisto, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds, was paired with Schultz and acquitted himself well. He logged 14:16 of ice time and displayed the smooth skating and ability to make quality outlet passes that has made the organization high on the offensive-minded rearguard.
"He didn't seem fazed at all by playing in front of 21,000 people," Boudreau said. "In a [fast]-paced game like that, he was making plays and played within himself. He was very good."
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