Game #81 Preview: Florida Panthers at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  April 6, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 4-5-2-0

Caps Game 81 Record: 9-6-0-1

All-Time vs. FLA: 57-49-10-5

All-Time at home vs. FLA: 21-28-6-3

Last Season vs. FLA: 6-0-0

Last Meeting: 3/6/11, WAS 3 FLA 2

Season Series: 2-1-1

This Year:

WAS Record: 47-22-11

Standings Points: 105

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 1st

Last Game: 4/5/11, WAS 3 TOR 2 (OT-SO)

Streak: Win 3

FLA Record: 29-38-12

Standings Points: 70

Division Rank: 5th

Conference Rank: 15th    

Last Game: 4/2/11, FLA 2 PIT 4

Streak: Lost 8

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 18 STURM, 44 ARNOTT, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 3: 21 LAICH, 90 JOHANSSON, 25 CHIMERA

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

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 23 HANNAN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 4 ERSKINE, 62 SLOAN

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Florida

Forward Line 1: 14 SAMSONOV, 13 SANTORELLI, 11 BERGFORS

Forward Line 2: 10 BOOTH, 19 REASONER, 15 SKILLE

Forward Line 3: 63 DADONOV, 20 CARTER, 32 REPIK

Forward Line 4: 16 HORDICHUK, 18 MATTHIAS, 26 BERNIER

Defense Pair 1: 52 GARRISON, 43 WEAVER

Defense Pair 2: 4 ELLERBY, 7 KULIKOV

Defense Pair 3: 3 WILSON, 48 CALLAHAN

Goalie: 30 CLEMMENSEN

Back-up Goalie: 35 PLANTE

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (upper body) IR, (upper body) IR, 52 GREEN (head) IR, 6 WIDEMAN (lower body) DTD, 89 SLOAN (jaw) DTD, 28 SEMIN (wrist) DTD

FLA – WEISS (groin) DTD, SULZER (groin) IR, VOKOUN (back) DTD, TIMMINS (concussion) IR, OLESZ (knee) IR, BITZ (sports hernia) IR, MATTHIAS (ankle) DTD

Caps Milestones:

Jason Chimera needs 3 goals to reach 100 in his career.

Preview:

After facing 5 straight teams that are in the playoffs or were fighting to stay in the hunt the Capitals take on the Eastern Conference’s last place team in a home-and-home series to close out the regular season. By way of their shootout victory last night in Toronto and a Philly loss the Capitals have taken the lead in the East and have a shot at a second consecutive Eastern Conference Title. The Panthers on the other hand are trying finish out the season with their pride intact. Florida has been struggling to score goals which play right into the hands of the Washington defense. The Caps have only allowed 35 goals in their last 18 games and have been getting progressively better on that side of the puck. The Caps are starting to get some its defense back as John Erskine returned to the lineup last night and GM George McPhee has said that Mike Green may return for one of the Florida games so that is welcome news to the team who will need an experienced puck moving defenseman come playoff time. I expect this game to start fast and if the Caps score first they will win going away if not it will be close but I think the Caps will be fired up for their final home game.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 4 FLA 1

Official Preview