Game #44 Preview: Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning

Where: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa FL

When:  January 12, 2011, 7:30 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 4-8-0-0

Caps Game 44 Record: 17-15-3-0

All-Time vs. TAM: 60-26-6-5

All-Time at TAM: 28-15-2-2

Last Season vs. TAM 4-2-0

Last Meeting: 1/4/11, WAS 0 TAM 1 (OT)

This Year:

WAS Record: 24-12-7

Standings Points: 55

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 5th

Last Game: 1/11/11, WAS 3 FLA 4 (OT)

Streak: Loss 1

TAM Record: 25-13-5

Standings Points: 55

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd    

Last Game: 1/9/11, TAM 3 NJ 6

Streak: Loss 1

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 25 CHIMERA, 85 PERRAULT, 14 FEHR

Forward Line 3: 21 LAICH, 90 JOHANSSON, 83 BEAGLE

Forward Line 4: 24 WILLSIE, 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL

Defense Pair 1: 52 GREEN, 23 HANNAN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 55 SCHULTZ, 3 POTI

Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Back-up Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Tampa Bay

Forward Line 1: 6 MALONE, 91 STAMKOS, 26 ST. LOUIS

Forward Line 2: 12 GAGNE, 4 LECAVALIER, 10 BERGENHEIM

Forward Line 3: 21 RITOLA, 19 MOORE, 16 PURCELL

Forward Line 4: 18 HALL, 44 THOMPSON, 42 TYRELL

Defense Pair 1: 39 LUNDIN, 5 OHLUND

Defense Pair 2: 7 CLARK, 77 HEDMAN

Defense Pair 3: 8 JONES, 13 KUBINA

Goalie: 33 ELLIS

Back-up Goalie: 35 ROLOSON

Injuries:

Washington – 15 GORDON (lower body) IR, 17 KING (undisclosed) IR, 10 BRADLEY (broken finger) IR, 28 SEMIN (thigh) DTD

TAM –41 SMITH (knee) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 3 points to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

After a stinging 4-3 overtime loss last night in Florida, the Capitals travel to Tampa to take on the Lightning for supremacy in the Southeast Division. The two teams each have 55 standings points but the Lightning hold the tie break with one more win than the Caps. For the Capitals, they need to focus on their special teams as the power play has no power at all and the penalty kill that had been going so well gave up 3 to Florida last night. Look for an extremely tight game as both teams played a very defensive 1-0 overtime game at the Verizon Center last week and I don’t expect anything different from this game. I am looking for a big game from Mike Knuble this is just the type of game he excels at. Expect an aggressive hard hitting game with the Caps regaining the lead in the SE.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 2 TAM 1

Official Preview