Game #16 Preview: Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  November 11, 2010 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 5-8-1-1

Caps Game 16 Record: 17-14-4-0

All-Time vs. TAM: 58-26-6-4

All-Time at home vs. TAM: 30-11-4-2

Last Season vs. TAM: 4-2-0

Last Meeting: 3/20/10, WAS 3 TAM 1

This Year:

WAS Record: 11-4-0

Standings Points: 22

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 1st      

Last Game: 11/9/10, WAS 5 NYR 3

Streak: Win 5

TAM Record: 8-4-2

Standings Points: 18

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 4th    

Last Game: 11/9/10, TAM 4 TOR 0

Streak: Win 1

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 2: 14 FLEISCHMANN, 21 LAICH, 22 KNUBLE

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 15 GORDON, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 4 ERSKINE, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 27 ALZNER, 89 SLOAN

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 70 HOLTBY

Tampa

Forward Line 1: 10 BERGENHEIM, 4 LECAVALIER, 16 PURCELL

Forward Line 2: 26 ST. LOUIS, 91 STAMKOS, 9 DOWNIE

Forward Line 3: 21 RITOLA, 19 MOORE, 6 MALONE

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

Defense Pair 1: 39 LUNDIN, 13 KUBINA

Defense Pair 2: 7 CLARK, 77 HEDMAN

Defense Pair 3: 5 OHLUND, 8 JONES

Goalie: 41 SMITH

Back-up Goalie: 33 ELLIS

Injuries:

Washington –1 VARLAMOV (groin) IR, 3 POTI (lower body) IR

TAM – 12 GAGNE (neck) IR

Caps Milestones:

Nicklas Backstrom needs 1 assists to reach 200 in his career.

Jason Chimera needs 6 points to reach 200 in his career.

Preview:

Washington and Southeast Division rival Tampa square off for the first time this season. Currently, Tampa is second in the division, four points behind the Caps. Both teams have crazy offensive weapons so this game will come down to the defense. The Capitals defense and goaltending has improved markedly over last season and they will need a good effort to contain the early season league goals leader Steven Stamkos. The Capitals Alex Ovechkin has a 7-game point streak underway. He has 12 points (4g, 8a) in those games. Look for the game to start fast and be very physical. And don’t forget that whole Ovechkin/Steve Downie dust up from last season. Memories are long in the NHL. I think the two teams will be close after two but the Caps have been finding the way to win the close ones. It should be an exciting game with lots of scoring and hitting and two teams that don’t play well together.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 6 TAM 4

Capitals Official Preview