Game #2 Preview: Washington Capitals vs. New Jersey Devils

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  October 9, 2010 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 2-9-1-0

Caps Game 2 Record: 12-20-3-0

All-Time vs. NJ: 73-57-8-9

All-Time Home vs. NJ: 43-22-4-5

Last Season vs. NJ: 1-2-1

Last Meeting: 12/26/09, WAS 4 NJ 1

This Year:

WAS Record: 0-1-0

Standings Points: 0

Division Rank: 5th

Conference Rank: 13th      

Last Game: 10/8/10, WAS 2 ATL 4

Streak: Loss 1

NJ Record: 0-0-1

Standings Points: 1

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 6th    

Last Game: 10/8/10, NJ 3 DAL 4 (OTL)

Streak: Loss 1

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, 39 STECKEL, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 17 KING, 15 GORDON, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 3 POTI, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 27 ALZNER, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 35 SABOURIN

NJ

Forward Line 1: 26 ELIAS, 25 ARNOTT, 23 CLARKSON

Forward Line 2: 22 LEBLOND, 16 HENRIQUE, 17 KOVALCHUK

Forward Line 3: 9 PARISE, 10 PELLEY, 15 LANGENBRUNNER

Forward Line 4: 12 ROLSTON, 19 ZAJAC, 8 ZUBRUS

Defense Pair 1: 6 GREENE, 28 VOLCHENKOV

Defense Pair 2: 7 TILLINDER, 5 WHITE

Defense Pair 3: 2 FRASER, 29 URBOM

Goalie: 30 BRODUER

Back-up Goalie: 1 HEDBERG

Injuries:

Washington – 1 VALAMOV (groin) DTD

NJ – 24 SALVADOR (concussion) IR, 29 SALMELA (knee) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 11 assists to reach 200 in his career.

Brooks Laich needs 10 points to reach 200 in his career.

John Erskine needs 2 penalty minute to reach 300 with the Capitals.

Preview:

After a lackluster performance against the Atlanta Thrashers the Capitals will try to rebound against the New Jersey Devils in their home opener. Atlanta played without Ilya Kovalchuck last night but the Devils have no such problem. The Caps usually have a tough game against the trapping defensive style New Jersey plays. The Caps will look to use a lot of indirect passing in the neutral zone to break the NJ trap. Again tonight, the key for the Caps is defensive responsibility and this will be a big early season test for the Caps. I think this will be a tight checking game with few scoring chances.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 NJ 2

Official Preview