After a brutal beatdown at the hands of the Canucks, the Capitals are back in action tonight against the Oilers.
It's never a good idea to get destroyed by a terrible team and then have to face a good one. And don't let the early season record of the Oilers fool you: they are a good team.
The Oilers lead the NHL in CF% and control the vast majority of shot attempts and puck possession. They are probably the best team in the NHL or close to it. Certainly their 3-5-1 record is going to improve with their shooting percentage.
As for the Capitals, Brent Connolly is injured and will miss the game tonight, possibly more than one. To make up for it, the Caps recalled Anthony Peluso.
Is this the top prospect that will help turn the Capitals fortunes? No, it's a 28 year-old journyman who has 14 points in 142 career games. A guy who couldn't make the team over Devonte Smith Pelly (currently moved up Ovechkin's line in what Ovechkin must consider a career lowpoint) and Alex Chiasson.
Remember Tim Chiasson the old Red Wings blogger for the hockeybuzz? Great guy, and he'd be a better option than Alex. Just saying.
Hey kids, Halloween is coming up and if you want to be something terrifying, why not go as the Washington Capitals defense?
No change in defense.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 28, 2017
Djoos-Carlson
Orpik-Bowey
Orlov-Chorney
Holtby in net.
Oh man! IF there was ever a game for the Oilers to get back into their rhythm, it is this one. The Capitals, who have to dress way too many non-NHL players anyways, are without Connolly, Burakovsky and Niskanen. That is a brutal injury bug that is going around the team currently.
On the Plus side, the sick Nick Backstrom will apparently be able to play. This is good news for the team, but it remains puzzling to me why players go out of their way to play sick and injured in October when it's such a long season. I guess you just don't make the NHL without being that kind of guy.
Which explains why I'm going to skip my road hockey game while currently sick in bed with a hangover from overindulging in Red Lobster last night. I know it gets a bad rap, but Big Red is a great place to eat. It's not like you can screw up Lobster!