Game #31 Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When: December 12, 2007, 7:00 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 5-7-1-0
Caps Game 31 Record: 13-13-6-0
All-Time vs. NYR: 80-74-14-4
Last Season vs. NYR: 1-3-0
Last Meeting: 11/01/07, WAS 0 NYR 2

This Year:
WAS Record: 11-17-2
Standings Points: 24
Division Rank: 5^th
Conference Rank: 15^th
Last Game: 12/10/2007, WAS 3 NJ 2
Streak: Won 2

NYR Record: 16-12-2
Standings Points: 34
Division Rank: 2^nd
Conference Rank: 5^th
Last Game: 12/9/2007, NYR 1 NJ 0 (OT)
Streak: Won 1

Game 1: 10/12/07, WAS 1 NYR 3
Game 2: 11/1/06, WAS 0 NYR 2

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 25 KOZLOV, 10 BRADLEY
Forward Line 2: 43 FLEISCHMANN, BACKSTROM, 28 SEMIN
Forward Line 3: 18 PETTINGER, 39 STECKEL, 50 MOTZKO
Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 21 LAICH19 , 53 LAING
Defense Pair 1: 3 POTI, 55 SCHULTZ
Defense Pair 2: 26 MORRISONN, 52 GREEN
Defense Pair 3: 2 POTHIER, 4 ERSKINE
Goalie: 37 KOLZIG
Back-up Goalie: 1 JOHNSON

Rangers
Forward Line 1: 14 SHANAHAN, 19 GOMEZ, 68 JAGR
Forward Line 2: 82 STRAKA, 17 DUBINSKY, 24 CALLAHAN
Forward Line 3: 16 AVERY, 23 DRURY, 28 ORR
Forward Line 4: 81 HOSSA, 15 BETTS, 25 PRUCHA
Defense Pair 1: 3 ROZSIVAL, 51 TYUTIN
Defense Pair 2: 18 STAAL, 5 GIRARDI
Defense Pair 3: 27 MARA, 8 MALIK
Goalie: 30 LUNDQVIST
Back-up Goalie: 40 VALIQUETTE

Injuries:
Washington – 14 FEHR (hip) IR, 17 CLARK (groin) IR, 15 GORDON (hand fracture) IR, 92 Michal Nylander (undisclosed) DTD
Rangers – None

Caps Milestones:
Matt Pettinger needs 4 Points to reach 100 for his career
Brian Pothier needs 4 Points to reach 100 for his career
Michal Nylander needs 4 Goals to reach 200 for his career
Alex Ovechkin needs 11 Shots on Goal to reach 1,000 for his career

Preview:
The Capitals will try and tie their season high 3-game winning streak against the New York Rangers. The Capitals defeated the Atlanta Thrashers and the New Jersey Devils and seem to be gaining in confidence. I don’t know if it was the tongue lashing they took from the Head Coach following the Jersey game last Friday, but the team looks completely different. The Rangers broke a 3-game losing streak with an overtime victory against New Jersey on Sunday. Look for the Capitals to start fast and try to get an early lead. Rangers’ goalie Henrick Lundqvist has only allowed 1 goal against in the teams’ previous two meetings. However, I get the feeling the Caps are starting to believe what Head Coach Boudreau is telling them. They are a better team and I think they take Jagr and the New York gang behind the woodshed in this one.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 6 Rangers 2.

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