Game #7 Preview: Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins

Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA

When:  October 21, 2010 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 1-9-3-0

Caps Game 7 Record: 10-20-5-0

All-Time vs. BOS: 41-62-21-8

All-Time at BOS: 19-34-9-4

Last Season vs. BOS: 3-0-1

Last Meeting: 10/19/10, WAS 1 BOS 3

This Year:

WAS Record: 4-2-0

Standings Points: 8

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 4th      

Last Game: 10/19/10, WAS 1 BOS 3

Streak: Loss 1

BOS Record: 3-1-0

Standings Points: 6

Division Rank: 3rd

Conference Rank: 7th    

Last Game: 10/19/10, BOS 3 WAS 1

Streak: Win 3

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 22 KNUBLE

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 14 FLEISCHMANN, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 90 JOHANSSON, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 17 KING, 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 3 POTI

Defense Pair 3: 89 SLOAN, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Back-up Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Boston

Forward Line 1: 17 LUCIC, 46 KREJCI, 18 HORTON

Forward Line 2: 22 THORNTON, 11 CAMPBELL, 28 RECCHI

Forward Line 3: 20 PAILLE, 37 BERGERON, 73 RYDER

Forward Line 4: 19 SEGUIN, 63 MARCHAND, 26 WHEELER

Defense Pair 1: 44 SEIDENBERG, 33 CHARA

Defense Pair 2: 45 STUART, 55 BOYCHUK

Defense Pair 3: 21 FERENCE, 48 HUNWICK

Goalie: 30 THOMAS

Back-up Goalie: 40 RASK

Injuries:

Washington –10 BRADLEY (lower body) DTD, 52 GREEN (upper body) DTD

BOS – 9 SAVARD (concussion) IR, 42 WHITFIELD (Achilles) IR, 16 STURM (knee) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 8 assists to reach 200 in his career.

Brooks Laich will play his 400^th career game.

Brooks Laich needs 6 points to reach 200 in his career.

Preview:

In the second game of a home and home series the Capitals will try to avenge the 3-1 home loss they suffered on Wednesday. The team had a good start to the game but goalie Michael Nuevirth had to leave midway through the first period due to the flu. Semyon Varlamov will most likely get his first start of the season in net for the Caps. Look for the team to get more traffic in the front of the Boston net. They got 36 shots on goal Wednesday but were only able to get 1 goal. The key for the Caps is to get in on the forecheck and disrupt the Boston defense. This should be another exciting game with lots of physical play. I think the Caps bounce back for the win but it will be close.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 BOS 2

Official Preview