Game #42 Preview: Florida Panthers at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  January 8, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 6-6-1-1

Caps Game 42 Record: 14-18-3-0

All-Time vs. FLA: 45-33-9-6

All-Time at Home vs. FLA: 23-14-5-5

Last Season vs. TAM: 6-0-0

Last Meeting: 12/9/10, WAS 0 FLA 3

This Year:

WAS Record: 23-12-6

Standings Points: 52

Division Rank: 2nd

Conference Rank: 5th

Last Game: 1/4/11, WAS 0 TAM 1 (OT)

Streak: Loss 1

FLA Record: 18-19-2

Standings Points: 38

Division Rank: 5th

Conference Rank: 11th    

Last Game: 1/7/11, FLA 3 CAR 5

Streak: Loss 2

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 85 PERRAULT, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 90 JOHANSSON, 14 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 83 BEAGLE, 39 STECKEL

Defense Pair 1: 52 GREEN, 23 HANNAN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 55 SCHULTZ, 3 POTI

Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Back-up Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Florida

Forward Line 1: 21 HIGGINS, 9 WEISS, 67 FROLIK

Forward Line 2: 10 BOOTH, 13 SANTORELLI, 85 OLESZ

Forward Line 3: 61 STILLMAN, 19 REASONER, 14 DVORAK

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

Defense Pair 1: 6 WIDEMAN, 52 GARRISON

Defense Pair 2: 24 MCCABE, 43 WEAVER

Defense Pair 3: 5 ALLEN, 7 KULIKOV

Goalie: 29 VOKOUN

Back-up Goalie: 30 CLEMMENSEN

Injuries:

Washington – 15 GORDON (lower body) IR, 17 KING (undisclosed) IR, 10 BRADLEY (broken finger) IR

Florida – 36 CULLEN (ruptured Achilles tendon) IR, 12 BITZ (lower body) IR

Caps Milestones:

Mike Knuble needs 1 point to reach 500 in his career.

Nicklas Backstrom needs 5 points to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

After a tough 1-0 loss on Tuesday the Capitals are back in action on Saturday when they host the Florida Panthers. Florida is 5^th in the division but shutout the Caps back on December 9^th. Look for the Capitals to crash the net much more in this game in an effort to get more offense. Washington has had 3 days and needed some work done on their power play. The team has scored 2 power play goals in its last 5 games. Some very good defense and goaltending has kept the Capitals in the game but the inability to score cost them last game. Alex Ovechkin got a cortisone shot, in a undisclosed location and not for a recent injury, earlier this week and will be ready for the game Saturday. This may be one of the reasons for the mystery goal drop off this season. I expect another grind it out type game with Washington pressing the net for goals.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 FLA 1

Official Preview