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Ty Anderson: Ovechkin out again vs. Devils |
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Throughout the Washington Capitals’ current six-game losing streak, where they’ve taken just two of a possible 12 points, there’s been little to cheer about for Adam Oates’ bunch.
It’s not getting much better for ‘em either, as captain and leading scorer Alexander Ovechkin will miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils (and Ovechkin’s second straight game) after leaving this morning’s skate earlier than anticipated.
The Caps certainly looked like a club without their leading goal-scorer in their last game, a 2-0 shutout loss at the hands of Craig Anderson and the Ottawa Senators, and you can consider it the same ol’ song and dance for this club, really. When Ovechkin doesn’t score, the rest of the team doesn’t seem to pick up his slack. Hell, even when Ovechkin was scoring he’s often been a man on an island this year. And where does the blame lay for the Capitals in that regard?
Well, it goes all around. But at some point your top two pivots, Nicklas Backstrom and Mikhail Grabovski, have to take charge of their own game and elevate those around them.
Backstrom has just one goal in his past 12 contests, and Grabovski just one in his last 13.
They’ll need to be better for a Caps club entering play with just 61 goals in 23 road contests.
As will their wingers, with Troy Brouwer (nine goals in 50 games this year) taking Ovechkin’s spot on the right wing of the Caps’ top line tonight, while the trickle down effect will lead to Martin Erat and Eric Fehr skating on the Grabovski line’s wings. It’s a trio that’s combined for just 17 goals this year, while most of Marcus Johansson’s 32 points this year have come by way of skating on the off wing of the Backstrom-Ovechkin combo this season.
With the sans Ovechkin scoring an undeniable nightmare, the Capitals will give the nod to Michal Neuvirth. In an effort to find some sort of (positive) spark from their year-long goaltending carousel, Neuvirth is to make just his eighth start of the season. It will be the 25-year-old Neuvirth’s first appearance since Jan. 15’s loss in Pittsburgh, where he allowed four goals on 37 shots, including the game-winner with just under two minutes to play in regulation.
Overall, Neuvirth holds a .909 save percentage in the road this season (zero wins in four games played), but has four wins and a 2.07 goals against average in eight career games against the Devils.
Standing in Neuvirth and company’s way is a Jersey squad that simply tore through one of the league’s better defensive clubs, the St. Louis Blues, back on Tuesday night.
Putting seven into the back of the St. Louis net, the Devils got huge contributions from Damien Brunner, converted on 3-of-4 power play opportunities, and saw goaltender Cory Schneider continue to mow down the competition, stopping 26-of-27 on the night.
While he has just three wins in six games this month, Schneider enters tonight’s game with an otherworldly 1.13 goals against average and .958 save percentage in 2014.
He’ll be in the New Jersey crease tonight.
Read as: Basically a nightmare for a Caps club that’s scored just seven goals in their last six contests.
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