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Welcome to Caps 'Round the Clock, a blog covering the Washington Capitals and the NHL. In season, I update the Blog after every practice and on game day with Caps news and information, and then provide a recap and analysis after each contest. I also write a periodical Prospect Watch and weekly feature pieces on the state of the Men in Red and other things Capitals. And of course, I will post videos and tidbits from around the League and offer my two cents as the season wears on. In the offseason, I write a Report Card for each player, and will keep you updated on all the news about the Caps through the summer. I'm glad you're here, and hope you come back!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Gameday: at Nashville, Nov. 15

"You see, we heff to score goals, more...win games."
The Washington Capitals will be in Nashville, Tennessee, on Tuesday night to take on the Predators as they attempt to rebound from their shootout loss at the hands of the Devils on Saturday night. The Capitals enter tonight's contest with a 10-4-1 record, which gives them 21 standings points in 15 games.  Those 21 points place the Caps first in the Southeast Division and second in the Eastern Conference.  Nashville comes into the game at 8-5-3 for 19 points following an overtimes loss to the Canadiens on Saturday.  Those 19 points have them third in the Central Division and eighth in the Western Conference.  This is the first of two meetings between these two teams this season.

Barry Trotz will go with star Pekka Rinne in goal, the Finnish backstop's third consecutive start in the Nashville cage.  Rinne has started all but one game for the Predators his year, compiling an 8-4-3 record to go along with a stellar 2.28 GAA, .929 save percentage, and three shutouts.  Fresh of signing a new seven-year, $49 million dollar contract, the Vezina Trophy finalist is out to prove that he is one of the league's best.  Center David Legwand, Nashville's leading scorer, is out with an upper body injury and will not play, but other than that Trotz's men are fully healthy and ready to go.

Tomas Vokoun seems likely to get the call in goal from Bruce Boudreau following Michal Neuvirth's loss on Saturday night.  Vokoun is 8-2 on the year with a 2.39 GAA, .921 save percentage, and one shutout, and he made 32 saves in his last start, a 3-1 win over the Devils.  On the injury front, Mike Green is not with the team because of a right leg injury that he suffered against the Devils on Friday. John Erskine, who missed Saturday night's game and forced Brooks Laich to play defense, is likely to return, which means that Mathieu Perreault is the likely healthy scratch in the forward corps.

Puck drops 8:07-ish.  Check back later.

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