Game #35 Preview: Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators

Where: Scotibank Place, Ottawa, ON

When:  December 19, 2010 7:30 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 4-11-2-0

Caps Game 35 Record: 16-14-5-0

All-Time vs. OTT: 32-28-5-3

All-Time at OTT: 13-17-1-2

Last Season vs. OTT: 1-1-2

Last Meeting: 10/11/10, WAS 3 OTT 2

Season Series vs. OTT 1-0-0

This Year:

WAS Record: 18-12-4

Standings Points: 40

Division Rank: 3rd

Conference Rank: 7th

Last Game: 12/18/10, WAS 2 BOS 3

Streak: Loss 8

OTT Record: 14-16-4

Standings Points: 32

Division Rank: 3rd

Conference Rank: 10th    

Last Game: 12/17/10, OTT 5 COL 6 (OT)

Streak: Loss 1

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 85 PERRAULT, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 90 JOHANSSON, 83 BEAGLE

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

Defense Pair 1: 52 GREEN, 27 ALZNER

Defense Pair 2: 3 POTI, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 23 HANNAN, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

OTT

Forward Line 1: 71 FOLIGNO, 12 FISHER, 11 ALFREDSSON

Forward Line 2: 9 MICHALEK, 19 SPEZZA, 27 KOVALEV

Forward Line 3: 73 RUUTU, 22 KELLY, 25 NEIL

Forward Line 4: 13 REGIN, 18 WINCHESTER, 26 SHANNON

Defense Pair 1: 17 KUBA, 55 GONCHAR

Defense Pair 2: 4 PHILLIPS, 65 KARLSSON

Defense Pair 3: 14 CAMPOLI, 5 LEE

Goalie: 33 LECLAIR

Back-up Goalie: 30 ELLIOT

Injuries:

Washington – 55 SCHULTZ (broken thumb) IR, 89 SLOAN (hip flexor) IR, 15 GORDON (lower body) IR, 17 KING (undisclosed) IR, 28 SEMIN (lower body) DTD

OTT – 39 CARKNER (leg) DTD

Caps Milestones:

Jason Chimera needs 1 point to reach 200 in his career.

Mike Knuble needs 5 points to reach 500 in his career.

Nicklas Backstrom needs 8 points to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

After a disappointing first period in Boston the Caps could not dig their way out of the deficit. Washington needs to start better in Ottawa if they want to break out of their now 8-game losing skid. The team looked tight and tentative and that allowed Boston to stick it to them at the start. The good news was that the Caps fought back and controlled most of the rest of the game. Unfortunately they could only manage to get part of the way back. Going forward they need to just relax and go out a fight from the opening puck drop. Ottawa is playing some good hickey right now so don’t expect a rollover from them either. I am expecting another dog fight of a game with the Caps back in the win column.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 OTT 1

Official Preview