Gameday: at Vancouver, Oct. 29

Quick! Who will the Sedins match up against?

The Washington Capitals are in Vancouver, British Columbia, this evening to take on the Canucks on Hockey Night in Canada as they close out their two game road swing through the western half of our neighbors to the north.  The Capitals come into tonight's contest with a 7-1-0 record, which gives them 14 standings points coming off of their first loss of the season Thursday night in Edmonton.  Those 14 points lead the Southeast Division and are second in the East, four points behind the Penguins with four games in hand.  Vancouver, the defending holders of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, have struggled so far this year, compiling a 4-5-1 record for nine standings points.  As such, the Canucks are fourth in the Northwest Division and twelfth in the Western Conference.  This is the one and only meeting between these two teams this season.

Roberto Luongo will return to the Vancouver cage after yielding the last game to backup Cory Schneider.  Luongo is off to his typical slow October start, with a 2-3-1 record to go along with a 3.45 GAA and .868 save percentage in six starts, and was pulled in the second period of his last outing.  Luongo is one of the league's best, however, and can heat up at any time.  He also has a lifetime 2.25 GAA against the Caps, and has given up two goals the last two times these teams have met, both Vancouver victories.  Alain Vigneault's men will be without Mason Raymond as he continues to recuperate from a broken back suffered during last year's Stanley Cup Final, while defenseman Kevin Bieksa is considered questionable with an undisclosed injury.

Bruce Boudreau will roll with Tomas Vokoun in nets for the eighth consecutive contest.  Vokoun stopped 17 of 19 in his last outing in Edmonton, but had no chance on either goal and kept the game from getting out of hand with several excellent saves.  On the year, Vokoun has a 6-1-0 record to go along with a stellar 1.83 GAA, .940 save percentage, and one shutout.  In terms of injuries, Mike Green is almost certainly out for the second consecutive game because of an ankle sprain he suffered last weekend against the Red Wings; Sean Collins will once again take his place.  DJ King is expected to be the healthy man to take a seat, as has been the case for all but one game this season.

Puck drops for this one 10:10-ish.  Check back later.