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.