Game #69 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  March 11, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 7-2-1-0

Caps Game 69 Record: 16-16-1-1

All-Time vs. CAR: 40-23-7-5

All-Time at home vs. CAR: 22-11-2-1

Last Season vs. CAR: 3-1-2

Last Meeting: 12/26/10, WAS 3 CAR 2

Season Series: 4-0-0

This Year:

WAS Record: 38-20-10

Standings Points: 86

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd

Last Game: 3/9/11, WAS 5 EDM 0

Streak: Won 6

CAR Record: 31-26-10

Standings Points: 72

Division Rank: 3rd

Conference Rank: 9th    

Last Game: 3/9/11, CAR 2 ATL 3 (OT)

Streak: Loss 2

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 44 ARNOTT, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3:18 STURM, 90 JOHANSSON, 25 CHIMERA

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 15 GORDON, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 23 HANNAN, 6 WIDEMAN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 55 SCHULTZ, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 70 HOLTBY

Carolina

Forward Line 1: 61 STILLMAN, 12 STAAL, 26 COLE

Forward Line 2: 53 SKINNER, 36 JOKINEN, 15 RUUTU

Forward Line 3: 19 TLUSTY, 16 SUTTER, 59 LAROSE

Forward Line 4: 71 SAMSON, 39 DWYER, 20 BODIE

Defense Pair 1: 77 CORVO, 5 ALLEN

Defense Pair 2: 4 MCBAIN, 25 PITKANEN

Defense Pair 3: 44 HARRISON, 6 GLEASON

Goalie: 30 WARD

Back-up Goalie: 60 PETERS

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (upper body) IR, 16 FEHR (upper body) IR, 52 GREEN (head) DTD, 1 VARLAMOV (undisclosed) DTD

CAR – None

Caps Milestones:

Brooks Laich needs 2 goals to reach 100 in his career.

Jason Arnott needs 3 goals to reach 400 in his career.

Jason Chimera needs 4 goals to reach 100 in his career.

Alex Ovechkin needs 4 goals to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

The Carolina Hurricanes are in 9^th place in the Eastern Conference and have 72 points in the standings placing them 2 points behind both the Buffalo Sabres and the NY Rangers. Expect a very desperate Carolina team to take to the in Washington tonight. This should be a very good game as the Capitals look to extend their 6-game winning streak. The key once again for the Capitals is going to be the special teams. Last game, they scored their first two goals on the power play and were able to then dictate the rest of the game and they shut the door on Edmonton. Alex Ovechkin has been hot as of late. Ha has 16 points in his last 11 games. That is a 124 point pace for 82 games. He seems to be more comfortable and confident on the ice and still believe he had some sort of hand or wrist injury after the 18^th game of the season. I expect another big game from the top line which may be centered by Nicklas Backstrom or Marcus Johansson. Backstrom was held out of last game with that pesky broken thumb. If the Caps can score on the power play then they win the game and with a hot Ovechkin you can almost count on it.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 4 CAR 1

Official Preview