Game #12 Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When: November 6, 2008, 7:00 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 6-5-1-1
Caps Game 12 Record: 8-21-4-0
All-Time vs. CAR: 30-19-7-3
All-Time Home vs. CAR: 17-9-2-1
Last Season vs. CAR: 4-4-0
Last Meeting: 4/1/08, WAS 4 CAR 1

This Year:
WAS Record: 5-4-2
Standings Points: 12
Division Rank: 2nd
Conference Rank: 9th
Last Game: 11/4/08, WAS 1 OTT 2 (OT)
Streak: Loss 2

CAR Record: 7-3-2
Standings Points: 16
Division Rank: 1st
Conference Rank: 3rd
Last Game: 11/4/08, CAR 5 TOR 4
Streak: Win 2

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 25 KOZLOV
Forward Line 2: 14 FLEISCHMANN, 92 NYLANDER, 28 SEMIN
Forward Line 3: 21 LAICH, 91 FEDOROV, 10 BRADLEY
Forward Line 4: 87 BRASHEAR, 15 GORDON, 17 CLARK
Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN
Defense Pair 2: 26 MORRISONN, 3 POTI
Defense Pair 3: 23 JURCINA, 4 ERSKINE
Goalie: 1 JOHNSON
Back-up Goalie: 60 THEODORE

Carolina
Forward Line 1: 18 BAYDA, 12 STAAL, 13 WHITNEY
Forward Line 2: 14 SAMSONOV, 17 BRIND’AMOUR, 24 WALKER
Forward Line 3: 59 LAROSE, 63 HELMINEN, 15 RUUTU
Forward Line 4: 28 BROOKBANK, 39 DWYER, 44 EAVES
Defense Pair 1: 6 GLEASON, 77 CORVO
Defense Pair 2: 4 SEIDENBERG, 7 WALLIN
Defense Pair 3: 22 MELICHAR, 33 BABCHUK
Goalie: 30 WARD
Back-up Goalie: 49 LEIGHTON

Injuries:
Washington – 2 POTHIER (concussion) IR
Carolina – 45 TANABE (concussion) IR, 8 CULLEN (leg) DTD, 16 SUTTER (concussion) DTD, 11 WILLIAMS (torn Achilles) IR, 5 KABERLE (foot fracture) IR, 25 PITKANEN (knee) DTD

Caps Milestones:
Victor Kozlov needs 1 point to reach 500 in his career.
Matt Bradley needs 4 points to reach 100 in his career.
Sergei Fedorov needs 1 shot on goal to reach 3,900 in his career.

Preview:
The Caps performed much better in Ottawa but fell in overtime. The team returns to the Verizon Center tonight to face Carolina. This is only the second match up with a division opponent this season. Currently, the Canes are 4 points ahead of the Caps in the standings and were the preseason pick to contend for the division title. The Canes have been playing well on the road and will present a big test for the Caps. Look for the Caps to continue to work hard and play their system. The team appears to be just a bit out of sync but I that it’s only a matter of time before they put it all together. Watch for the top line of Ovechkin, Kozlov, and Backstrom to put it together tonight. Ovechkin has 29 points in 24 career games against Carolina.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 5 CAR 2

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