Game #33 Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning

Where: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL

When: December 15, 2007, 7:30 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 6-6-0-0
Caps Game 33 Record: 16-10-6-0
All-Time vs. TAM: 43-24-6-4
Last Season vs. TAM: 2-4-2
Last Meeting: 11/16/07, WAS 2 TAM 5

This Year:
WAS Record: 12-18-2
Standings Points: 26
Division Rank: Tied 5^th
Conference Rank: 15^th
Last Game: 12/14/2007, WAS 3 BUF 5
Streak: Loss 1

TAM Record: 14-15-3
Standings Points: 31
Division Rank: 2^nd
Conference Rank: Tied 11^th
Last Game: 12/13/2007, TAM 6 CAL 9
Streak: Loss 1

Game 1: 10/24/07, WAS 5 TAM 3
Game 2: 11/10/07, WAS 2 TAM 5
Game 3: 11/16/07, WAS 2 TAM 5

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 25 KOZLOV
Forward Line 2: 18 PETTINGER, 92 MICHAL NYLANDER, 28 SEMIN
Forward Line 3: 50 MOTZKO, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY
Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 21 LAICH, 53 LAING
Defense Pair 1: 26 MORRISONN, 55 SCHULTZ
Defense Pair 2: 2 POTHIER, 52 GREEN
Defense Pair 3: 3 POTI, 23 JURCINA
Goalie: 37 KOLZIG
Back-up Goalie: 1 JOHNSON

Tampa
Forward Line 1: 20 PROSPAL, 4 LECAVALIER, 26 ST. LOUIS
Forward Line 2: 21 DARCHE, 77 GRATTON, 7 OUELLET
Forward Line 3: 17 HLAVAC, 19 RICHARDS, 16 WARD
Forward Line 4: 24 KARLSSON, 74 TARNASKY, 36 ROY
Defense Pair 1: 54 RANGER, 71 KUBA
Defense Pair 2: 55 O’BRIEN, 37 LUKOWICH
Defense Pair 3: 39 LUNDIN, 3 JANIK
Goalie: 40 HOLMQVIST
Back-up Goalie: 30 DENIS

Injuries:
Washington – 14 FEHR (hip) IR, 17 CLARK (groin) IR, 15 GORDON (hand fracture) IR
Tampa – 7 OUELLET (shoulder) DTD, 34 CRAIG (knee) IR, 22 BOYLE (wrist) IR, 27 TAYLOR (hip) IR

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
Donald Brashear needs 5 Points to reach 200 for his career

Preview:
Will the Caps fold after last night’s loss or will they come out with a vengeance? That is the question Head Coach Bruce Boudreau posed to the press last night after the game. I think the latter. The Caps did not play a very sound game against Buffalo last night and it bit them in the end. Look for them to put a pounding on the Lightning this evening. The Bolts are coming off an equally unimpressive 9-6 loss to Calgary on Thursday night. Alex Ovechkin has a 7-game point streak working and Victor Kozlov has assists in 4 straight. This should be a high scoring affair, for the Caps at least.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 6 TAM 1

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