Game #79 Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  April 2, 2011, 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 4-4-1-0

Caps Game 79 Record: 15-15-3-1

All-Time vs. BUF: 40-77-15-3

All-Time at home vs. BUF: 20-36-9-2

Last Season vs. BUF: 3-1-0

Last Meeting: 2/20/11, WAS 2 BUF 1

Season Series: 2-0-1

This Year:

WAS Record: 45-22-11

Standings Points: 101

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd

Last Game: 3/29/11, WAS 4 CLB 3 (OT)

Streak: Win 1

BUF Record: 39-29-9

Standings Points: 87

Division Rank: 3rd

Conference Rank: 7th    

Last Game: 3/30/11, BUF 1 NYR 0

Streak: Win 1

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

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

Forward Line 2: 18 STURM, 44 ARNOTT, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 21 LAICH, 90 JOHANSSON, 25 CHIMERA

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 15 GORDON, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 23 HANNAN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 89 SLOAN, 4 ERSKINE

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Buffalo

Forward Line 1: 26 VANEK, 19 CONNOLLY, 29 POMINVILLE

Forward Line 2: 63 ENNIS, 22 BOYES, 21 STAFFORD

Forward Line 3: 42 GERBE, 28 GAUSTAD, 12 MANCARI

Forward Line 4: 20 NIEDERMAYER, 37 ELLIS, 8 MCCORMICK

Defense Pair 1: SEKARA, 6 WEBER

Defense Pair 2: 34 BUTLER, 57 MYERS

Defense Pair 3: 17 GRAGNANI, 4 MONTADOR

Goalie: 1 ENROTH

Back-up Goalie: 40 LALIME

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (upper body) IR, (upper body) IR, 52 GREEN (head) IR, 6 WIDEMAN (lower body) DTD

BUF – MILLER (upper body) DTD, ROY (leg) IR, KALETA (knee) IR, LEOPOLD (broken finger) DTD, GRIER (knee) DTD, HECHT (upper body) DTD

Caps Milestones:

Jason Arnott needs 1 goal to reach 400 in his career.

Jason Chimera needs 3 goals to reach 100 in his career.

Alex Ovechkin needs 2 goals to reach 300 in his career.

Preview:

In tonight’s matchup the Capitals face the team they would be playing in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended today. However, the Sabres have not clinched a birth and are fighting hard to get there. Buffalo number one goalie Ryan Miller sat out the last game with an upper body injury and is listed as day to day. This will be a good test for the Capitals who have played two consecutive overtime games where they have given up a third period goal to force the extra period. Washington has had a rash of injuries on the blue line so look for rookies John Carlson and Karl Alzner to be given more ice time and responsibility. The duo has been good all year and need to take their game to the next level. The top two lines have been scoring for the Capitals but as we have been saying all year the power play needs to get its act together. As the playoffs draw near it is more important than ever. It should be a very close game but I expect the Capitals to come out on top with a big effort from their number one line.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 BUF 2

Official Preview