Game #3 Vancouver Canucks at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When: October 13, 2008, 7:00 PM

History:

Caps Record on this Date: 4-12-2-0

Caps Game 3 Record: 10-16-6-1

All-Time vs. VAN: 38-33-9-1

All-Time At Home vs. VAN: 22-15-4-0

Last Season vs. VAN: 0-1-0

Last Meeting: 10/26/07, WAS 2 VAN 3

This Year:

WAS Record: 1-1-0

Standings Points: 2

Division Rank: 4th

Conference Rank: 12th

Last Game: 10/11/08, WAS 4 CHI 2

Streak: Win 1

VAN Record: 2-0-0

Standings Points: 4

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd

Last Game: 10/11/08, VAN 5 CAL 4 (OT)

Streak: Win 2

Probable Line-Ups:

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 25 KOZLOV

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 91 FEDOROV, 28 SEMIN 14 FEHR

Forward Line 3: 14 FLEISCHMANN, NYLANDER, 17 CLARK

Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 26 MORRISONN, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 4 ERSKINE, 3 POTI

Defense Pair 3: 55 SCHULTZ, 23 JURCINA

Goalie: 60 THEODORE

Back-up Goalie: 1 JOHNSON

Vancouver

Forward Line 1: 22 D. SEDIN, 33 H. SEDIN, 9 PYATT

Forward Line 2: 21 RAYMOND, 38 DEMITRA, 18 BERNIER

Forward Line 3: 14 BURROWS, 17 KESLER, 37 RYPIEN

Forward Line 4: 24 HORDICHUK, 10 JOHNSON, 36 HANSEN

Defense Pair 1: 2 OHLUND, 23 ELDER

Defense Pair 2: 3 BIEKSA, 8 MITCHELL

Defense Pair 3: 6 SALO, 55 O’BRIEN

Goalie: 1 LUONGO

Back-up Goalie: 41 STANFORD

Injuries:

Washington – 2 POTHIER (concussion) IR

Vancouver – 7 NYCHOLAT (back) IR

Caps Milestones:

Victor Kozlov needs 3 points to reach 500 in his career.

Matt Bradley needs 5 points to reach 100 in his career.

Michael Nylander needs 4 points to reach 100 with the Capitals.

Preview:

This should be an interesting matchup at the Verizon Center this evening. The Vancouver Canucks come to town with a 2-0-0 record and have scored 11 goals in a home-and-home series against the Calgary Flames. The Caps finally settled down in the last two periods on Saturday and played more of the brand of hockey we became accustom to last season. The defense tightened up and the players got back to the system of aggressive forechecking. In the first two games the Caps faced an outstanding effort by the opposing goaltender and you can count on that again tonight. The Canucks captain is their goalie, Roberto Luongo, and he is arguably the best in the business. However, in Vancouver’s two victories he has only faced 54 shots. Look for the Capitals to shoot early and often. In the game against Chicago, only one Capital skater did not register a shot on goal. When the Caps are on their game they really rack up the shots. Watch for the line of Brooks Laich, Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Semin. They have combined for 6 points in the first 2 games and netted the game winner against the Hawks.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 4 VAN 3

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