Streaking On the Coast


The Capitals are going to be without some very important players tonight in Los Angeles, but the plan is not to let that stop them from going for their 9th straight game with at least a point. The Caps have gone 6-0-2 in their last 8 games and are apparently getting right back on the track that led them to their first playoff berth since the lockout.

The Caps are a better team than the Kings and the idea is that this is the easiest game of the bunch on their Western swing…

I agree that the Kings may not be as good as San Jose or Anaheim, but I also feel that this is the one game on the trip where the Caps can get caught off-guard. It will be imperative that the Caps focus on playing a very sound defensive system. Especially without Alex Semin, Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov.


Making Room in the Infirmary


The Capitals handled the Ducks quite nicely last night, considering they were missing Morrisonn, Fedorov, Semin and Mike Green (left after the 1st period). The 6-4 win was a testament to how explosive the forwards on this Capitals squad can be.

Washington got goals from 6 different players and were able to hold off a late game charge by the Ducks.

Theodore played well but not exceptionally. I picked BJ to start last night’s game, so one has to assume that Boudreau will rest Theodore tonight in LA and give Johnson the opportunity to pickup right where he left off.

Alex Ovechkin seriously enjoys playing in Anaheim. In 2 career games, Ovi now has 4 goals and 3 assists. Duck hunting much? Alex has 14 points in his last 5 games and is a +12.

Viktor Kozlov looked great last night and seemed to be very happy to be back on a line with Ovechkin and Backstrom.

Nylander finally got some points up on the board last night, but as many of you keep pointing out, we are still waiting to see when #92 is going to break out.

I have liked Flash's play as of late. He is finally blooming under Boudreau.

The worst news from last night’s game was that Mike Green is going to be out for a little while with a shoulder injury. Green sustained the injury when he got plowed by Pronger. He did not return after the 1st period and will likely take tonight and Saturday’s game off to rest. It is unclear what Mike has suffered, but as long as it’s nothing more than a bruised shoulder(which is what it sounds like), the Caps would be wise to take the time so early in the season to let Green recover properly.

The good news is that Shaone Morrisonn will make his return to the lineup tonight in Los Angeles. ShaMo is the stable defender that Washington was missing last night when they got taken advantage of late in the game.

It will be very interesting to see how the Caps fare tonight against the Kings. LA is a very young and fast club. They have some great young players and some very aggressive ones at that. This game is going to be a blast. Ovechkin vs Kopitar sounds like fun to me!


Here is the lineup for tonight’s game:


Los Angeles Forwards

12-O’Sullivan, 11-Kopitar, 23-Brown
9-Moller, 28-Stoll, 24-Frolov
19-Calder, 26-Handzus, 17-Simmonds
41-Ivanans, 22-Boyle, 13-Zeiler

Los Angeles Defensemen

8-Doughty, 27-Quincey
2-Greene, 6-O’Donnell
5-Harrold, 21-Gauthier

Goaltenders

31-Ersberg, 35-LaBarbera

__________________________


Washington Forwards

8-Ovechkin, 19-Backstrom, 25-Kozlov
14-Fleischmann, 21-Laich, 16-Fehr
39-Steckel, 15-Gordon, 10-Bradley
87-Brashear, 92-Nylander, 17-Clark

Washington Defensemen

55-Schultz, 26-Morrisonn
3-Poti, 89-Sloan
4-Erskine, 23-Jurcina

Goaltenders

1-Johnson, 60-Theodore


Game Notes

Alex’s to-do list – Alex Ovechkin’s 171 career goals are not only the most in the NHL since he entered the league in 2005-06, they are the most of any player who has entered the league since 2002-03. Among those goals, however, he has scored against all but three NHL teams: Los Angeles, San Jose and Minnesota, Washington’s next three opponents in succession. If Ovechkin just keeps doing what he’s doing he’ll be able to put checkmarks next to those teams as well, beginning tonight in LA. He enters the game with a five-game goal-scoring streak and multiple-point games in each of them, with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and a +12 rating in that time.


Two step – Alex Ovechkin has recorded at least one goal and two points in five straight games, matching the longest such streak in Capitals history. Dennis Maruk did the same in 1980-81. Ovechkin's four points last night at Anaheim (1g-3a) marked a season high, and give him 14 points (6g-8a) and a +12 rating in his last five games.


What slump? – Alex Ovechkin's 22 points on the season put him in a tie for sixth in NHL scoring despite starting the season with just five points in his first nine games. His totals through 16 games played are four points ahead of his pace at the same time last season, when he went on to lead the league in scoring with 112 points.

- First 16 Games - G-A-PTS - +/-

- 2008-09 8-14-22 +18

- 2007-08 10-8-18 +4


Power to the people – The Capitals have scored a power-play goal in five of their last six games and is clicking at 30.4% on the power play in that time (seven-for-23). The three power-play goals Washington scored last night at Anaheim were a season-high.


Streaking – Washington is 6-0-2 in its last eight games, its longest stretch without a regulation loss since a 10-0-2 stretch over 12 games in 2000-01 (Jan. 28-Feb. 24, 2001).


Turning one – Head coach Bruce Boudreau was hired almost exactly a year ago, Nov. 22, 2007, and has coached 79 games, almost the equivalent of an 82-game season. Boudreau's 48-21-10 record would put him on a 110-point pace in a full season.
Washington's 11-4-3 record through 18 games puts them 13 points ahead of their pace from the same time last season (6-11-1).


King for a day? – The Kings are one of only three NHL teams that Alex Ovechkin has not scored a goal against. The Capitals face the other two – San Jose and Minnesota – in their next two games.

Having been so busy over the last few nights, I have to say that I am very happy that the team is out West. It’s a great opportunity to finish up the night watching a great game.

Kopitar and his pals are, no doubt, beyond excited to show up the NHL’s headline act in Alex Ovechkin & Co.

Drink lots of coffee if you have to! But don’t miss this one!




capitalshockeybuzz@live.ca
Go Caps!!!!!

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