Caps in Land of 10,000 Lakes
Posted 4:52 PM ET | Comments 0
The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link: The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/wa...&feature=related to the fight Donald Brashear was in the other night against San Jose's Jody Shelley.
-Bagasome
From http://capsstop.blogspot.com
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link: The Capitals head to Minnesota tonight, a place they have not won at since 1993, to face a tough Wild team. The Caps are 11-6-3 and lead the Southeast with 25 points, while the Wild are 11-6-1 with 23 points. The game is an 8pm start on Versus. The Caps head to Minnesota coming off loses at LA and San Jose, while the Wild have also lost two straight.
For yet another game, the Capitals will have to go without Mike Green (bruised shoulder), Sergei Federov (ankle), and Alexander Semin (back strain). The losses of Green, Federov, and Semin really showed the other night as the Caps were demolished by a far bigger and better San Jose team, 7-2. Boudreau said afterwards, "You don't realize how much you miss Mike Green until you don't have Mike Green. He's a one man breakout." Not only that, these three players have combined for 24 goals and 28 assists this season. The 24 goals is 37% of Washington's total as a team. Therefore, it will be up to other guys to start sharing the load. Chris Clark, remains without a goal and tonight would be a good time for him to step it up. Chris's struggles have recently landed him on the fourth line, and if he wants to come off of it, he better start lighting the lamp. The Caps lines will look like this:
Forwards:
Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Nylander-Bradley
Laich-Steckel-Fehr
Brashear-Gordon-Clark
Defense:
Poti-Sloan
Morrisonn-Schultz
Erskine-Jurcina
Goal:
Jose Theodore
The Caps will need a strong start tonight, much like the one in Anaheim, to quite the notoriously sold out Xcel Energy Center. The Wild are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL, averaging only 2.33 goals per game. What the Wild lack in offense, they make up for through strong defensive play and great goaltending. The other night the Wild held Pittsburg's Crosby and Malkin to one shot. Niklas Backstrom, the other Backstrom, has been great so far this year for Minnesota and has kept them in a lot of games. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 SV% with two shutouts. The Wilds special teams are also very good. They are eigth in the league on the PP operating at 20.8% and first in the league on the PK operating at 91.4%. It will therefore be imperative for the Caps to have a strong special teams night, if they want to win.
In other news, Michael Nylander remains a Capital and claims that he has had no interaction with GM George Mcphee regarding a trade or waiving his no trade clause. He told reporters this morning, "Nothing, no, he hasn't talked to me," regarding George Mcphee. He also said, "I play here. That's how I'm approaching the situation. That's the way it's going to be. Whatever it says in the papers, that's out of my control to do anything about it." According to Nylander it all appears to be rumors, the jury however, I would have to think is still out on that one. Coach Bruce Boudreau was recently informed that he will be one of four inductees into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2009. Lastly, in case you missed it, here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/wa...&feature=related to the fight Donald Brashear was in the other night against San Jose's Jody Shelley.
-Bagasome
From http://capsstop.blogspot.com