Rapid Rewind: Deja Vu All Over Again

Yes I know it's from last year. Don't care. Ovi FTW.

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: vs. NY Islanders, Feb. 28

Time to make the run without help at the deadline.

The Washington Capitals will welcome the New York Islanders to Verizon Center on Tuesday night as they begin a critical five-game homestand and attempt to gain some momentum heading into a brutal month of March.  The Capitals, having won two in a row, are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and and 31-26-5 overall for 67 standings points in 62 games.  Those 67 points place them third in the Southeast Division, three points behind the Panthers with one more game played, and ninth overall in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Jets for the final playoff spot with three games in hand.  The Isles, on the other hand, lost their last contest and are 4-6 in their last ten and 26-28-8 overall for 60 standings points in 62 games.  Those 60 points place them last in the Atlantic Division and thirteenth in the East.  This is the third of four meetings between these clubs this season; the Isles have won both, including a 3-0 shutout in their last meeting.

Evgeni Nabokov is almost certain to earn the call in goal from Jack Capuano despite allowing four goals in a loss his last time out.  Nabokov, in his first full season on the Island, is having a stellar year with a 15-15-0 record, 2.32 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts.  What's more, he has a GAA of 1.99 in his career against Washington and made 17 stops in that shutout win over them in mid-January.  Outside the crease, New York only has one minor injury, as defenseman Steve Staios is questionable with a lower-body ailment.

Dale Hunter seems likely to turn to Michal Neuvirth in goal following his two excellent games over the weekend, in which he only allowed three goals in two wins.  On the year, Neuvirth is 8-9-3 with a 2.87 GAA, .903 save percentage, and two shutouts; he has not faced the Isles this year but has played extremely well against them in his career.  On the injury front, the Capitals will be without star center Nicklas Backstrom, who has missed almost two months now with a concussion and is on IR.  Keith Aucoin will remain in the lineup over Mike Knuble, while Roman Hamrlik and John Erskine will probably remain healthy scratches in back.

That's all for now.  Follow me on Twitter here for updates and news.

George McPhee Stays the Course

Check out my latest for Rock the Red, in which I examine George McPhee's controversial decision to stand pat at the trade deadline.  You can read the article here.

Practice: Feb. 27

The Washington Capitals were on ice Monday morning for a practice following a four-point weekend against the Maple Leafs and Canadiens.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Tomas Vokoun left the ice about 20 minutes in to practice for an undisclosed reason, but according to Sky Kerstein of 106.7 the FAN radio, he has not been asked to waive his no-trade clause.  It does not look like he will be traded at this juncture.
Every healthy Capital was on the ice for the skate.  The lines were as follows: Ovechkin-Johansson-Knuble, Hendricks-Laich-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, and Beagle-Halpern-Ward.  Also of note, Nicklas Backstrom has been placed on long-term injured reserve, opening up his $6.7 million cap hit for deals to be made.

That's all for now.  Stay tuned for trade deadline coverage by following me on twitter here.
Information from Katie Carrera was used in this post.

Rapid Rewind: Clawing Back

Read my RtR game recap here.

Rapid Rewind: Breaking the Hab-it (Kind Of)

Read my RtR game recap here.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Injured During KHL Game

As if the Washington Capitals and their fans needed any more bad news to come down the pipe, the hockey gods sent them some anyway.
According to the website Sovietsky Sport, and as first reported by TSN's Dmitry Chesnokov, Capitals superprospect Evgeny Kuznetsov was "seriously injured" during the final moments of his team, Traktor Chelyabinsk's, game on Friday.
Chesnokov, citing Russian colleague Pavel Lysenkov, reported that Kuznetsov was checked and fell down late in the contest, immediately beginning to slam his hands on the ice. According to Lysenkov, Kuznetsov was "in terrible pain," writhing around on the ice surface and yelling.  He had to be carried off the ice on a stretcher.
As of 11:30 AM Friday, Slava Malamud of Sport-Express had been told that Kuznetsov may have torn knee ligaments, and that this is the "preliminary diagnosis."  However, at 12:30, Chesnokov noted that there were many unconfirmed reports that Kuznetsov may only have a severe bruise in his knee. This report was confirmed later by Lysenkov, who said that the Russian forward has "soft tissue bruising."
At 1:45 PM, Malamud tweeted that Traktor's examination and MRI concluded that he only had "slight damage in his knee ligaments" and he should be ready to play in less than a week.  Major bullet: dodged.
Here is video of the hit, and Kutnetsov's reaction, courtesy of Malamud.


More to come on this.

Gameday: vs. Montreal, Feb. 24

I can has two points?

The Washington Capitals will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to Verizon Center on Friday night as they look to break their recent string of humbling losses.  Washington, losers of three in a row, are 3-6-1 in their last ten and 29-26-5 overall for 63 standings points in 60 games. Therefore, they are third in the Southeast Division, four points behind the Jets with three games in hand, and tenth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Panthers with one fewer game played.  The Habs, who were shut out by Dallas in their last contest, are actually 5-4-1 in their last ten games but 24-27-10 overall for 58 standings points in 61 games.  Those 58 points place them last in both the Northeast Division and the Eastern Conference.  This is the third of four meetings between these two clubs this year; the Caps have won both by 3-0 shutout scores inside the Bell Centre.

Carey Price, Montreal's workhorse, will start in goal fro Randy Cunneyworth. Price, who has blossomed into one of the league's best goaltenders despite being on a poor team, is 22-22-9 on the year with a 2.39 GAA, .916 save percentage, and four shutouts.  He has only faced the Caps once this year, allowing three goals on 16 shots in a loss in mid January.  Outside the crease, the Habs have been decimated by injuries this year.  They are currently missing star defenseman Andrei Markov (knee surgery complications), captain Brian Gionta (torn pectoral), forwards Mathieu Darche and Travis Moen (upper body), and center Petteri Nokelainen (shoulder).  Other than that, thought, they're totally healthy.

Michal Neuvirth seems the likely choice to start in goal for Dale Hunter following his solid performance in relief of Tomas Vokoun on Wednesday evening.  The sophomore Czech goalie is 6-9-3 on the year with a 3.01 GAA, .897 save percentage, and two shutouts; he shut out the Canadiens the other time he faced them this year.  On the injury front, the Caps are without Nicklas Backstrom, who has missed almost seven weeks now with a concussion and is on IR.  Captain Alex Ovechkin, who has skated for a total of 23 minutes in the last two days, is questionable for the contest.  Keith Aucoin will play if Ovechkin cannot go.  John Erskine and Roman Hamrlik will probably be the healthy scratches on the back end, particularly now that Hamrlik and Dale Hunter are sparring in the media.

Puck drops 7:08-ish.

Practice: Feb. 23

The Washington Capitals were on ice Thursday morning for a practice after their 5-2 humbling at the hands of the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Alex Ovechkin, who missed Wednesday's loss with a lower-body injury, did not participate in practice with his teammates. Instead, he engaged in some light skating and shooting before practice, again, testing his injury and trying to work through it.  All in all, he skated for about 15 minutes.
Without Ovechkin, the entire team that played last night as well as the scratches practiced.  The lines were Knuble-Laich-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, Johansson-Aucoin-Hendricks, and Beagle-Halpern-Ward.

That's all for now.

Gameday: at Ottawa, Feb. 22

Can the Capitals actually win a must-win game?

The Washington Capitals are in Ottawa, Ontario, this evening to take on the Senators and try to rebound from a hammering at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.  The Capitals, who have lost two games in a row, are 3-6-1 in their last ten games and 29-25-5 overall for 63 standings points in 59 games.  As such, they are third in the Southeast Division, two points behind the Jets with three games in hand and two points behind the Panthers with one more game played.  They are tenth in the Eastern Conference as a result of their point total.  The Senators, on the other hand, who had been struggling recently, have now won three in a row, including a 6-0 beatdown of the Islanders on Monday afternoon.  They are 4-4-2 in their last ten and 31-22-8 overall for 70 standings points in 61 games.  This is the fourth and final meeting between these two teams this year; the Capitals have won all three so far.

Craig Anderson will start in goal for coach Paul MacLean.  The journeyman goaltender is 28-19-3 on the year with a 2.87 GAA, .912 save percentage, and three shutouts, including a blanking in his last start.  He has been a workhorse for Ottawa all year and has given the Capitals fits as well.  Outside the crease, the Senators only have one injury, and it is a minor one: centerman Jess Winchester, absent for the last 30 games because of a concussion.

Tomas Vokoun will get the call from Dale Hunter despite being pulled in his last outing, a game in which he probably could not have won anyway.  The veteran Czech goalie, who has been the backbone of the Caps' slim playoff hopes over the last two plus months, is 23-15-2 on the year with a 2.45 GAA, .920 save percentage, and four shutouts.  On the injury front, center Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) is on IR with a concussion and is out indefinitely. Captain Alex Ovechkin, who was limping after Monday's game and did not practice Tuesday, will be a game time decision and will be replaced by Keith Aucoin if he cannot go. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who missed Monday's game with a virus, will play, and Roman Hamrlik will be the healthy scratch.

That's all for now.  No recap from me tonight because of school obligations.

Practice: Feb. 21

The Washington Capitals were on ice in Raleigh Tuesday afternoon for a practice following their humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of the Hurricanes on Monday night.  Some updates from down south:

Alex Ovechkin did not partake in the skate because of a "maintenance day."  However, Ovechkin's absence, when coupled with the fact that he was visibly limping after Monday's game, begs the question of whether or not the Captain is injured.  I guess we will have to wait and see, but I certainly hope Ovechkin will be able to play through it.
With the absence of Ovechkin, the lines were as follows: Chimera-Laich-Brouwer, Hendricks-Perreault-Semin, Knuble-Johansson-Ward, and Beagle-Halpern.  All eight defensemen skated, including Dmitry Orlov, who missed Monday's game with an illness, and Mike Green, who seems to be doing well in terms of health following his surgery a little less than five weeks ago.  That's a great sign.
Washington plays in Ottawa on Wednesday night in what has become the biggest game of the season for them.

That's all for now.

The Point of No Return

Read my RtR game recap/column here.

Gameday: at Carolina, Feb. 20

Must. Win. Game.

The Washington Capitals are in Raleigh, North Carolina, this evening to take on the Hurricanes as they play the third of four games on their current road trip.  The Capitals, who lost Saturday night in Tampa following an encouraging win Friday against the Panthers, are 3-5-2 in their last ten games and 29-25-4 overall for 63 standings points in 58 games.  Those 58 points place them third in the Southeast Division, one point behind the Jets with three games in hand, and two points behind the Panthers.  Carolina, who have played well since hiring Kurk Muller around the same time as the Capitals hired Hunter, are 5-2-3 in their last ten and 22-26-11 overall for 55 standings points in 59 games.  Those 55 points places them last in both the Southeast Division and Eastern Conference.  This is the fifth of six meetings between these two teams this season; the Capitals lead the season series 3-1.

Because of an injury to regular starter and workhorse Cam Ward, Muller will be forced to turn to Justin Peters in goal for the Hurricanes today.  Peters has only played in four games this year, but made 35 saves in a win during his most recent start and has a 3.65 GAA and .911 save percentage on the year.  Outside the crease, Carolina will be missing defenseman Joni Pitkanen (concussion/knee surgery) and forward Tuomo Ruutu (upper body), while winger Chad LaRose is questionable, also with an upper-body ailment.

Tomas Vokoun should start in goal for the Capitals this evening after a solid performance against the Lightning on Saturday.  Vokoun is is 23-14-2 on the year with a 2.41 GAA, .921 save percentage, and four shutouts, and has been carrying the team of late.  Hopefully he can have a big game to help the Caps win a must-win contest.  On the injury front, the Capitals will be without star center Nicklas Backstrom, who has a concussion.  With the return of a healthy Mike Green, it remains to be seen who will sit if Hunter decides to return to six defensemen.  It is likely that Jeff Schultz will head to the press box and Jay Beagle would play in that case, but if the coach sticks with seven defensemen, look for Beagle to sit again.

That's all for now.  Puck drops 7:37-ish.

Rapid Rewind: Sunrise

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: at Florida, Feb. 17

The biggest game of the year.

The Washington Capitals are in Sunrise, Florida, this evening to take on the Panthers as they begin a road trip that is critical to help them try and save their season.  The Capitals, losers of three consecutive games, are 3-4-3 in their last ten games and 28-23-5 overall for 61 standings points in 56 games.  Those 61 points place them second in the Southeast Division, four back of these Panthers, and ninth overall in the Eastern Conference.  The Panthers, on the other hand, who were pasted by the Senators in their last game, are 6-3-1 in their last ten and 27-18-11 overall for 65 standings points in 56 games.  They are therefore first in the Southeast Division and third in the Eastern Conference.  This is the fifth of six meetings between these two clubs this season; the series is split 2-2.  Tonight's game is arguably the most important regular season contest they have played in four years; they cannot afford to come out flat.

Former Capital Jose Theodore is expected to get the call in goal from Kevin Dineen after appearing in relief during Florida's last game.  Theodore, who recently missed a long spell with a knee injury, is 15-9-5 on the year with a 2.48 GAA, .915 save percentage, and two shutouts.  Outside the crease, the Panthers will be without defensemen Jay Garrison (lower body), Ed Jovanovski (hand), and Dmitry Kulikov (knee), as well as forwards Marco Strum (knee) and Scottie Upshall (hernia).

Tomas Vokoun should start for Dale Hunter after allowing 2 goals on 27 shots in his last outing against the Jets over a week ago; he had been forced to miss the last two games with a bad flu.  Vokoun is 22-13-2 on the year with a 2.40 GAA, .920 save percentage, and four shutouts on the year, and has been a backbone for the Capitals over the last seven weeks.  On the injury front, both Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) and Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) are out and will not play.  Winger Mike Knuble, who has been scratched over the last three games for absurd reasons, should return to the lineup, with Keith Aucoin heading to the bench in his place.  Look for John Erskine to be the healthy scratch on defense.

Puck drops for this one 7:38-ish.

Practice: Feb. 16

The Washington Capitals were on ice Thursday morning for a practice as they prepare to head out on a four-game road trip that will likely define their season.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Dale Hunter kept pretty much the same lines as from Wednesday's skate, with the exception of adding Keith Aucoin to the fourth line.  The units were as follows: Ovechkin-Johansson-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, Hendricks-Laich-Knuble, and Ward-Halpern-Beagle, with Aucoin rotating in.
Mike Green practiced with the team for the second consecutive day, and will be on the road trip.  He "could" play on the road trip, according to George McPhee.
The General Manager also spoke to the health of Nicklas Backstrom, saying the Swedish center is currently working off ice but that there is no timetable of any sort for his return to game action.

That's all for now.
Information from Katie Carrera was used in this post.

Practice: Feb. 15

The Washington Capitals were on ice Wednesday morning for a practice as they prepare for a critical four-game road trip, starting at the end of the week, which will make or break their season.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Mike Green, who had been skating apart from his teammates and not participating in practice since his surgery, finally joined the Caps for a workout Wednesday.  Green did not take many hits during practice, but did work on the power play, and a decision on his status for the road trip will me made after tomorrow's practice.
Outside of this very good news on Green, Dale Hunter showcased new practice lines to account for the demotions of Joel Rechlicz and Keith Aucoin.  They were as such: Ovechkin-Johansson-Brouwer, Hendricks-Laich-Knuble, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, and Beagle-Halpern-Ward.

That's all for now.
Information from Adam Vingan was used in this post.

Gameday: vs. San Jose, Feb. 13

Will Dale Hunter play Mike Knuble this evening?

The Washington Capitals will welcome the San Jose Sharks to Verizon Center this evening as they play the second half of a back-to-back set, desperate to gain some momentum following their bad loss in New York Sunday afternoon. Washington, who have lost two in a row, are 3-4-3 in their last ten games and 28-22-5 overall for 61 standings points in 55 games.  Therefore, they are second in the Southeast Division, four points back of the Panthers, and ninth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Maple Leafs with a game in hand.  The Sharks, who were shut out in St. Louis last night, are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and 30-17-6 overall for 66 standings points in 53 games.  Those 66 points place them first in the Pacific Division and therefore third in the Western Conference. This is the second of two meetings between these two clubs this season; the Capitals lost the first one in San Jose last month.  Oh, and related: this is an absolute must-win game for the Capitals.

Antti Niemi should start for Todd McLellan's men despite losing last night.  On the year, the Finnish goaltender is 23-13-5 with a 2.34 GAA, .917 save percentage, and four shutouts.  He has been a big part of these new-look Sharks and is one of their best overall players; Washington's poor offense is going to be crucial to beating a team they have beaten just once in their last fifteen tries. Outside the crease, the Sharks have a few injuries.  Winger Martin Havlat is on IR with a knee injury and will not play, as is defenseman Jason Demers, who will be absent with a lower body ailment.

Michal Neuvirth is expected to start the second half of the back-to-back because Tomas Vokoun is still sick.  Neuvirth, who failed to come up big for his team (again) yesterday, is 6-9-3 on the year with a 3.07 GAA, .894 save percentage, and two shutouts.  On the injury front, both Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) and Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) are out and will not play.  After being scratched for Thursday and Sunday's losses, forward Mike Knuble has been benched again, even though he is simply a better hockey player than both Jay Beagle and Keith Aucoin.  John Erskine should remain in the lineup over Jeff Schultz after playing yesterday.

That's all for now; puck drops 7:39-ish.  No recap from me tonight because of school obligations.

Rapid Rewind: Ranger Danger

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: at NY Rangers, Feb. 12

It's a big one for the Caps today.

The Washington Capitals are in New York City this afternoon to take on the Rangers as they try and rebound from a disheartening loss to the Jets on Thursday night.  The Capitals are 4-4-3 in their last ten games and 28-21-5 overall for 61 standings points in 54 games.  That places them second in the Southeast Division, two back of the Panthers, and ninth overall in the Eastern Conference.  The Rangers, who smacked the Flyers on Saturday afternoon by a 5-2 score, are 7-2-1 in their last ten and 35-13-5 overall for an an incredible 75 standings points in 53 games.  As a result, they are atop both the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference, only one point behind the Red Wings for the best record in the NHL with three games in hand.  This is the third of four meetings between these clubs this season; they have split the series so far with both games coming at Verizon Center.

Henrik Lundqvist, who made 31 saves in that win over the Flyers on Saturday, seems likely to get the call from John Tortorella in goal.  Lunqvist has been the best goalie in the league so far this year, posting a 25-11-4 record, 1.81 GAA, .939 save percentage, and six shutouts on his campaign.  He made 18 saves in a 6-3 win for his team the only other time he has faced the Caps this year.  Outside the crease, the Rangers are only missing two minor players for today's game, as winger Ruslan Fedotenko (undisclosed) and defenseman Michael Sauer (concussion) will both be absent.

Tomas Vokoun should start for Dale Hunter after allowing 2 goals on 27 shots in his last outing against the Jets.  Vokoun is 22-13-2 on the year with a 2.40 GAA, .920 save percentage, and four shutouts on the year, and has been a backbone for the Capitals over the last seven weeks.  On the injury front, both Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) and Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) are out and will not play.  After being scratched for Thursday's loss, forward Mike Knuble seems likely to remain in the press box, as he has apparently fallen out of favor with Hunter.  John Erskine, absent for well over a week as a healthy scratch, will probably remain so this evening.

Puck drops 12:38-ish.  Check back later.

George McPhee Plays Poker

Read my latest for RtR here - in which I analyze the Capitals and what they should do at the deadline.  You can read the article by clicking here.

Rapid Rewind: Shot Down

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: vs. Winnipeg, Feb. 9

Big boys go boom.

The Washington Capitals will welcome the Winnipeg Jets to Verizon Center on Thursday night as they look to build some momentum over a stretch of critical games.  The Capitals, 4-0 winners over the Panthers on Tuesday night, are 4-4-2 over their last ten and 28-21-4 overall for 60 standings points in 53 games.  Those 60 points place them first in the Southeast Division, one point above the Panthers with one more game played, and therefore third overall in the East.  They are, however, one point shy of ninth place in the Conference.  Winnipeg, who beat the Maple Leafs on Tuesday 2-1, are 4-5-1 in their last ten games and 25-24-6 overall for 56 points in 55 games.  Those 56 points place them third in the Southeast Division and tenth overall in the East.  This is the fourth of six meetings between these two clubs this season; the Capitals are 2-1 in those three previous games.

Jets coach Claude Noel is almost certain to go with his workhorse, Ondrej Pavelec, in goal.  Pavelec, who made 17 saves in Winnipeg's win over the Leafs on Tuesday, is 19-18-6 on the year with a 2.70 GAA, .912 save percentage, and three shutouts, and has always played well against the Capitals, whether in Atlanta or Manitoba.  Surprisingly, the Jets only have one injury question for this evening's game - center Tim Stapleton, who has been out recently with a leg injury.  He is on IR but is considered questionable.

Tomas Vokoun will get the call from Dale Hunter in goal after a huge 42-save shutout on Tuesday.  Vokoun is 22-13-1 on the year with a 2.40 GAA, .920 save percentage, and four shutouts, and has been a huge part of the team's wins over the last six weeks.  On the injury front, Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) are both on IR and will not play.  Elsewhere,
Dale Hunter has proven that he has completely lost his mind, as he is scratching Mike Knuble and allowing Jay Beagle to play.  That move totally makes sense...benching a good player for a career fourth liner.  Oookay then.  Jeff Schultz will also be in over John Erskine.

Puck drops 7:08-ish.

The NHL Top 100: 25-1

Kaner.

Check out my my latest for Crash the Net, in which I respond to ESPN's list of the top 100 players in the NHL, 25 at a time.  This post is for numbers 25 through 1, the grand finale.  Read the article here.

Practice: Feb. 8

The Washington Capitals were on ice Wednesday morning for a practice following their 4-0 win over the Panthers Tuesday.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Mike Green skated before practice for the second day in a row as he continues to make his way back from sports hernia surgery late last month.
The only healthy Capitals absent from the skate were Dennis Wideman, Alex Ovechkin, and Brooks Laich, who were all given maintenance days by the Washington coaching staff.  The lines were as such: Johansson-Brouwer, Hendricks-Halpern-Ward, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, and Knuble-Aucoin-Beagle.
Nicklas Backstrom, once again, was nowhere to be seen.  He has skated once since the fifth day of January and is likely eons away from returning, if he does at all this season.

That's all for now.
Information from Adam Vingan was used in this post.

Rapid Rewind: Don't Stop Believin

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: vs. Florida, Feb. 7

Marcus as the best center dressed by a mile? Uh oh.

The Washington Capitals will welcome the Florida Panthers to Verizon Center this evening as they attempt to gain momentum and begin actually winning games that they need to win.  The Capitals, having lost their last game to the Bruins on Sunday, are 4-4-2 in their last ten and 27-21-4 overall for 58 standings points in 52 games.  Those 58 points place them second in the Southeast Division, one point behind the Panthers with one more game played, and ninth in the Eastern Conference.  The Panthers, who got pasted by the Lightning 6-3 on Saturday night, are 4-3-3 in their last ten and 24-16-11 overall for 59 standings points. Those 59 points place them first in the Southeast Division and therefore third overall in the East.  This is the fourth of six meetings between these two clubs this season; the Caps are 1-2 in the previous 3 games, including a loss last week.

The Capitals are likely to face Scott Clemmensen in goal for the second consecutive matchup, as regular starter Jose Theodore is out with a knee injury. Clemmensen is 8-5-3 on the year with a 2.73 GAA, .912 save percentage, and one shutout.  Outside the crease, the Panthers will be missing several players. Scottie Upshall (hernia), Marco Sturm (knee surgery), Ed Jovanovski (hand), and Dmitry Kulikov (knee) will all be sidelines for this evening's game.  Maybe the Capitals can take advantage of it.

Tomas Vokoun will start in goal for Dale Hunter following a solid performance against the Bruins Sunday, even though he allowed three goals.  Vokoun is 21-13-1 on the year with a 2.54 GAA, .917 save percentage, and three shutouts.  He has only faced his former team once, however, because Dale Hunter has for some reason seen fit to give Michal Neuvirth the reins the last two times these teams have met despite the fact that Vokoun shut the Cats out the first time he played them.  On the injury front, Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) and Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) are on IR and will not play.  Forward Brooks Laich, despite being on crutches on Sunday, will play, by some miracle.  Jay Beagle and John Erskine will remain in the press box.

Puck drops 7:09-ish.

The NHL Top 100: 50-26

Dreeeewwwww!!

Check out my my latest for Crash the Net, in which I respond to ESPN's list of the top 100 players in the NHL, 25 at a time.  This post is for numbers 50 through 26.  You can read the article here.

Practice: Feb. 6

The Washington Capitals were on ice Monday morning at 11:30 for a practice as they try and regroup from a 4-1 smacking at the hands of the Bruins on Sunday afternoon.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Brooks Laich did not practice with the team after sustaining a knee injury during Sunday's game.  Dale Hunter said afterwards that Laich was walking on it, but that doesn't mean anything; you can walk on knee ligament damage.  Only an MRI can reveal the full extent of the injury.
Because of Laich's absence, the lines were new and...interesting, to say the least.  They were: Ovechkin-Johansson-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Semin, Hendricks-Halpern-Ward, and Beagle-Aucoin-Knuble.
Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom did not skate again, the third consecutive game that Green did not work out on ice.  Hunter said that Green is still on his recovery timetable, however, which seems unlikely to me.  There is still absolutely no timetable for Backstrom being Back-strom.

That's all for now.
Information from Katie Carrera was used in this post.

John Carlson and Karl Alzner are the Coolest

Check out the latest video from Caps365, in which John Carlson and Karl Alzner give you a tour of what life is like for these roommates on the road.

Gameday: vs. Boston, Feb. 5

Time to make it a four-point weekend.

The Washington Capitals will welcome the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins to Verizon Center as they look to close out their weekend with a second win.  The Caps, who shut out the Canadiens on Saturday afternoon, are 5-3-2 in their last ten and 27-20-4 overall for 58 standings points in 51 games.  Those 58 points place them second in the Southeast Division, one point back of the Panthers, and ninth overall in the Eastern Conference, one point back of the Maple Leafs.  The Bruins, who lost to Pittsburgh 2-1 Saturday, are 4-5-1 in their last ten and 32-16-2 overall for 66 standings points in 50 games.  That places them first in the Northeast Division and second overall in the East.  This is the second of four meetings between these two clubs this season; the Capitals won the first a little less than two weeks ago inside Verizon Center.

Tuukka Rask is likely to get the call in nets from Claude Julien after Tim Thomas played yesterday and lost.  Rask, who last played Thursday night in a loss to the Hurricanes, is 11-6-2 on the year with a 1.88 GAA, .936 save percentage, and three shutouts.  He allowed four goals the last time he faced the Capitals. Outside the crease, both Marc Savard, who has missed almost two years now, and Nathan Horton, who has missed the last two weeks, are out with concussions and will not play.

Tomas Vokoun will start after a masterful 30-save shutout against the Canadiens Saturday afternoon.  Vokoun is 21-12-1 on the year with a 2.53 GAA, .918 save percentage, and three shutouts this season, making 30 saves on 33 shots in his start against the Bruins earlier this year.  On the injury front, both Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) are out and will not play.  Jeff Schultz seems likely to remain in the lineup over John Erskine after solid performances two nights in a row following a nearly month-long layoff.

Puck drops 12:40-ish.  Check back later.

Listen to Me on Habs360 Radio

Saturday afternoon, I joined the Habs360 radio show and podcast in Montreal to talk about the Capitals' game against the Canadiens, Alexander Semin, and the trading deadline.  Have a listen below, my segment starts at the 15 minute mark.

Listen to internet radio with Chris G on Blog Talk Radio

Rapid Rewind: No Habs No

Read my RtR game recap here.

Gameday: at Montreal, Feb. 4

He's baaaack...

The Washington Capitals are in Montreal, Quebec this afternoon to take on the Canadiens in the first of two back-to-back must-win games this weekend.  The Capitals, who lost 4-2 to the Panthers in their last game, are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games and 26-20-4 overall for 56 standings points in 50 games.  Those 56 points place them second in the Southeast Division, three back of the Panthers, and ninth overall in the Eastern Conference, two points back of the Maple Leafs for the final playoff spot.  The Canadiens, who have lost two in a row including a collapsing 5-3 loss to the Devils Thursday night, are 3-5-2 in their last 10 and 19-23-9 overall for 47 standings points in 51 games.  Those 47 points place the Habs last in the Northeast Division and fourteenth in the East.  This is the second of four meetings between these two clubs this year; the Caps won the first in mid-January via a shutout from Michal Neuvirth.

Backup Peter Budaj will get the call in goal from Randy Cunneyworth for just the eighth time this season.  Budaj is 2-4-1 in his seven starts this year with a 2.69 GAA and .910 save percentage.  Outside the crease, the Canadiens will be without two of their top players, as captain Brian Gionta (pectoral surgery) and defenseman Andrei Markov (knee surgery complications) will be absent.  Center Petteri Nokelainen, winger Ryan White, and winger Travis Moen are also out with various ailments.

Tomas Vokoun has been confirmed as the starter for the Capitals after Michal Neuvirth's sub-par performance on Wednesday night.  Vokoun is 20-12-1 on the year with a 2.60 GAA, .915 save percentage, and two shutouts.  He has yet to face the team that originally drafted him this year.  On the injury front, both Mike Green (sports hernia surgery) and Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) are out.  The Capitals will get a boost, however, as captain Alex Ovechkin will play for the first time in almost three weeks after serving the final game of a three-game suspension Wednesday night.  Jeff Schultz, who played Wednesday, will probably be back in the press box, and Jay Beagle should remain scratched in favor of recent call-up Keith Aucoin.

Puck drops 2:08-ish.  And in other news, I will be on the Habs360 radio show in Montreal at 5:15 after the game to talk Caps.  Follow me on Twitter here for the link to the show.

Practice: Feb. 3

The Washington Capitals were on ice Friday morning for practice as they prepare to meet the Montreal Canadiens in the Bell Centre Saturday afternoon.  Some updates from Kettler Capitals Iceplex:

Mike Green once again skated with his teammates during practice, the fourth consecutive day he has worked out on ice.
With recent call-up Keith Aucoin in the fold and Cody Eakin out of it, the lines looked a little bit different: Ovechkin-Johansson-Semin, Hendricks-Laich-Brouwer, Chimera-Perreault-Knuble, and Aucoin-Halpern-Ward.  Joel Rechlicz and Jay Beagle were in powder blue jerseys, which usually signifies healthy scratches, or the "fifth line."  However, after practice, Dale Hunter announced that Rechlicz is on waivers, on his way down to Hershey of the AHL.  Where he belongs.  Glad that experiment is over.
Nicklas Backstrom did not skate again today and has to be at least several weeks away from returning to active duty.  Man, is this getting bad.

That's all for now.
Information from Sky Kerstein was used in this post.

The NHL Top 100: 75-51

Captain Cally.

Check out my my latest for Crash the Net, in which I respond to ESPN's list of the top 100 players in the NHL, 25 at a time.  This post is for numbers 75 through 51.  You can read the article here.

Practice: Feb. 2

The Washington Capitals were on ice Thursday at 12 noon for an optional skate following their 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.  Some updates from Kettler:

Mike Green skated today, as he had done on both Wednesday and Tuesday, according to a Capitals spokesman.  Green said after the skate that he feels good, and is already noticing the positive effects from his surgery.  The defenseman mentioned that he feels he is on track to return within his original projected timeframe, which means he could see game action in 2-4 weeks.  This is certainly great news.
Only eight other Caps skated: Ovechkin, Schultz, Erskine, Beagle, Eakin, Vokoun, Rechlicz, and Ward.  Dale Hunter also indicated after the skate that Nicklas Backstrom is progressing and that he "feels better" but that you cannot rush concussions.  Which we know already.

That's all for now.
Information from Sky Kerstein was used in this post.

The NHL Top 100: 100-76

Jordan Eberle...is nasty.

Check out my my latest for Crash the Net, in which I respond to ESPN's list of the top 100 players in the NHL, 25 at a time.  This post is for numbers 100 through 76.  You can read the article here.

Rapid Rewind: Clawed

Read my sad, sad RtR game recap here.