Caps projected lineup at Carolina Hurricanes

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Latta-Wilson

Laich-Sill-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies;

Alzner-Niskanen

Schmidt-Orlov

Chorney-Carrick

Grubauer

Holtby 

Game time 6:00 pm on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 5 Sabres 2

What's Next: Tonight at. Carolina 6:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals vs. Buffalo Sabres

 The Caps and Sabres will face off in the second of a home and home series tonight at the Verizon Center. The Caps won 2-0 in Buffalo on Monday and will try to sweep the Sabres. Here is the lineup based on the morning skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Wilson
Laich-Sill-Burakovsky


Defense and Goalies:

Alzner-Niskanen
Schmidt-Orlov
Chorney-Carrick


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*Michael Latta will be out tonight after getting into a fight Monday night. So, the Caps have called up tough center Zach Sill from the Hersey Bears, that could also cause a bit more tension between the two teams.

*John Carlson did not skate this morning so it appears they will hold him out again tonight. From what I have read he was going to have a MRI just to see how long he might be out.

*Alex Ovechkin will continue to try to get closer to his 500th career goal, OV has played well this season even when he doesn't score.

*With Carlson out the Caps still did very well on Monday, I liked what I saw from Conner Carrick and Taylor Chorney has been good. It is also a chance for Dmitry Orlov to log more minutes and to show the coaches they can trust him.

*Braden Holtby was great again on Monday and will be back in tonight, I expect to see Philipp Grubauer tomorrow night in Carolina.

*Overall it's a home game against a sub par team in the Sabres, it is important to continue to play the right way and make it tough for them to get the puck past Holtby.


Gametime 7:00 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 2 Sabres 0

 The Caps and Sabres played a emotionally charged game on Monday, the two team got into a couple of disagreements but in the end the Caps again were the more talented team. Leaving Buffalo with another two points in the standings. (Still can't find full highlights)

My Thoughts:

*John Carlson missed his first game in 412 games. Barry Trotz said Carlson was close to playing but thought it was best to just sit out.

*Connor Carrick played his first NHL game since Adam Oates was the coach in 2013-2014. I thought he looked good last night as he was a plus 1 in 9:19 of ice time last night.

*Alex Ovechkin scored number 493 and now the countdown to 500 continues as he is now only 7 goals away. OV redirected a nice pass from Nick Backstrom, and T.J Oshie got the secondary assist.

*Justin Williams got cut by the stick of Sabres so called tough guy Nick Deslauriers. After that Michael Latta stood up for his teammate, and Deslauriers had a bit of a celebration after the fight that was not necessary. Williams would leave the game and need stitches but was ok and came back in the game.

*Jay Beagle scored his 6th goal of the year shortly after to give the Caps a lead that would be good for the rest of the night. Tom Wilson added his 9th assist on the play as he shot the puck wide but the puck who slide back in front where Beagle was waiting for it. Again it is nice to start seeing these third line guys get into the score sheet more often now.

*Braden Holtby was great again stopping all 31 shot he faced, including a great stop in the last minute on Evander Kane. Holtby continues to just dominate in almost every single game he plays.

*Overall it was a solid road win that now has the Caps sitting 12 points up on the New York Rangers for 1st in the Metro Division. They will have a quick stop home before they start a five game road trip.


What's Next: Wednesday Dec. 30th vs. Buffalo 7:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Buffalo Sabres UPDATED

*John Carlson is out tonight with an injury. Conner Carrick will make his season debut. 

 The Caps are on the road tonight as they head to First Niagara Center to take on a Sabres team that is playing pretty good hockey lately. Here is was the lineup should look like tonight.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Wilson
Laich-Latta-Burakovsky


Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson/Carrick
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*John Carlson is a game time decision because he tweaked something in the Montreal win on Saturday. It appears he will play but if not then Connor Carrick might be in instead.

*Braden Holtby will be in the net again tonight, Holtby is on a roll with a 22-4-1 record on the season and has a league leading 1.92 goals against. The Sabres will counter with Linis Ullmark.

*One key tonight will be to keep quiet one of the leagues most talented young players. The #2 overall pick Jack Eichel who has 11 goals and 9 assists on the season. He is off  a 2 goal 2 assist performance against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

*It will be important for the Caps to forecheck the Sabres defensmen, they are not the best group in the league but they are a unit that plays well at times.

*If Conner Carrick does play tonight he will probably be on the third pairing and Niskanen and Orlov might just move up. We will have to wait till puck drop.

*I would like to see the Caps get off to a fast start again tonight. They have a lot of road games coming off after Wednesday's home game against the Sabres in the second of a home and home series.

*Overall I think the Caps know how to play with each other and I expect a good effort tonight. The Caps are hot and we will find out if they can remain on a roll. Games in Buffalo are always tough as they play well in front of their fans. It will be important just to keep the compete level high in this game tonight.


Gametime 7:00 p.m on CSN Plus

Postgame Recap: Caps 3 Canadians 1

 The Caps won their 7th in a row last night as they were able to take down the Canadians 3-1.

My Thoughts:

*Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his 11th goal of the season off of a nice deflection from Nate Schmidt. Kuzzy did a great job getting to the front of the net. It all started with a great pass from Marcus Johansson.

*Jay Beagle was able to score on a nice transition play in the second period. Tom Wilson got the assist. The third line had a very good night last night and it is good to see the bottom six score.

*Jason Chimera had a beautiful goal in the third period to put the game away. Chimera was able skate around the defender and put the puck past Mike Condon.

*Tom Wilson had a busy night with two assists and a very nice fight with Jared Tinordi. It is good to see Wilson pitch in offensively.

*Nate Schmidt added two assists last night as well, he is starting to be quite comfortable on that top defense pairing.

*Braden Holtby was solid last night, he looked good considering he has been off for about a week. Shouldn't be surprised that he was terrific once again.

*Overall I thought the Caps started a bit sloppy but they picked up where they left off and are no rolling though their opponents. Another two points on home ice as they head up north.


What's Next: Monday Dec. 28th at. Buffalo 7:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadians

 The boys are back in action after a nice Christmas break and a winning streak coming into the new year. The Montreal Canadians are in town, and they have been struggling a bit lately. Here is the lineup based on this morning's skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Wilson
Laich-Latta-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*Alex Ovechkin has been playing well and is closing in on career goal #500, we will see if he can get closer tonight.

*Mike Condon will be in net for the Canadians, he got off to a hot start when Carey Price when down. However, he is not playing as well and Canadians are no longer in 1st in the East and are in dog fight in their division.

*Braden Holtby is back in the lineup after getting a day off in Carolina. With a break I'm sure we will see plenty of him in the next couple of months.

*The Caps need to get off to a good start tonight because the Canadians are cooling off lately and it is important to jump on them and try to frustrate them. It will be hard to get moving because of being off for a couple days but hopefully they refocus and play a heavy 60 minute game.

*Overall it has been a great season so far and now it's time to get into the second half of the season here in the next couple weeks strong. The Caps are in first place and are playing well. Hopefully they come back and get another two points.


Gametime 7:00 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 2 Hurricanes 1

 It was not the prettiest of games on Monday night as the Caps were in Raleigh to take on the Hurricanes. However, the team was able to hang on and get their 6th win in a row and their 7th in the last 8 games. The win has the Caps now 9 points ahead of the 2nd place Islanders in the Metro Division. (Sorry no Highlights to be found again)

My Thoughts:

*Michael Latta is starting to play with confidence as he was able to score his 3rd goal of the season off of a rebound from a shot by Andre Burakovsky. It is nice to see Lats start to develop into his role as he is playing better and better with every game he plays. He is also making the most of his ice time.

*Jason Chimera has had a great season so far as he was able to score his 9th of the season off of a deflection. Chimera had a rough year at times last year but in my opinion is having his best season as a Cap this year. He has been rewarded by being on the second power play unit.

*John Carlson added another assist for his 21st of the season, Carlson just continues to produce points night in and night out and doesn't always get the praise he deserves. Much like Nick Backstrom.

*The Caps would give up a goal in the third period as Kris Versteeg had a nice looking goal, but the Caps were able to hang on and get a gritty win on the road.

*Overall the Caps go into the break with the NHL's best record at 25-6-2 with 52 points. It has been a great start to the season, and hopefully will continue. Now it is time for them to get a nice break to refresh themselves for what is to come. I want to take the time to wish everyone out their Happy Holidays!


What's Next: Sat. Dec. 26th vs. Montreal 7:00 p.m on CSN

Caps lineup tonight at. Carolina Hurricanes

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Wilson

Laich-Latta-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Grubauer 

Holtby 

Game time 7:00 pm on CSN Plus 

Postgame Recap: Caps 7 Rangers 3

 Again the Caps got off to a rough start on Sunday giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead. However, just like this team does over and over again came to life to get an impressive win in Manhattan.

My Thoughts:

*Justin Williams and T.J Oshie have been great additions. Oshie had a nice goal to tie the game, and Williams had a goal and two assists.

*Alex Ovechkin's countdown to 500 is down to 8 after he scored career goal #492 to give the Caps a 4-3 lead late in the 2nd period.

*Nick Backstrom keep moving along as he had a three assist night and is now the Caps leading point producer.

*Marcus Johansson does not get a lot of attention but he is playing very good hockey lately, as he was able to get a goal and two assists last night.

*Tom Wilson I thought had a good game, getting a nice assist on a Jason Chimera third period shorthanded breakaway to give the Caps a 6-3 lead in the third. Also he drew a penalty that lead to a power play goal. So, for Willy when he plays like that he helps the team.

*Dmitry Orlov had a solid night with a pair of assists, I think he is starting to find his way offensively which adds a good dynamic to his game.

*Overall getting two points in MSG is very sweet, not only to go up by 8 points on the Rangers for first place, but for the confidence that we know we can win in that building. It was a great win but time to refocus as they are back in action tonight.


What's Next: Tonight Dec. 21st at Carolina 7:00 p.m on CSN Plus

Caps lineup at. New York Rangers

Forwards: 

Ovechkin-Bacstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Wilson

Laich-Latta-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby 

Grubauer 

Game time 7:00 pm on CSN 

Postgame Recap: Caps 5 Lightning 3

 The beginning of the Friday night's was not a good one. Three goals by the Lightning lead Barry Trotz to have to pull Braden Holtby and put in Philip Grubauer. The Caps after that had the best comeback of the season. Behind a 4 goal third period the Caps came back to take two points from the Lightning winning 5-3. (Still no full highlights, not sure why none are being posted lately)

My Thoughts:

*Alex Ovechkin scored two goals to bring him to 9 away from 500, and added two assists. Ovechkin is at 491 goals and was a big part of the comeback with the tying goal and an assist on the game winning goal.

*T.J Oshie also played a big part in the comeback with two goals and two assists as well. It was the chemistry on that first line that just took over the game when it was needed.

*Another big turning point in the game was a big hit that Matt Niskanen had to Lightning forward J.T Brown. The Lightning would get frustrated and take a penalty which lead to the tying goal.

*Also Philipp Grubauer did a very good job in relief, he kept the Caps in the game so that they can make a comeback.

*I was personally very impressed with the emotion the Caps played with. The comeback wouldn't have happened if the team felt sorry for themselves and just said it was a bad night. They kept fighting and scored 4 goals in the third period against the defending Eastern Conference Champions. The Caps are now 3-0 against the Lightning this season.

*Overall it was another win, this time a comeback win. This team is winning in different ways and now find themselves tied with the Stars for the best record in the NHL, and now are six points up on the Rangers for 1st in the Metro and seven up on the Islanders. The Caps still have three games in hand on the Rangers.


What's Next: Sunday Dec. 20th at. New York Rangers 7:00 p.m on CSN

Caps projected lineup vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetzov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Wilson

Laich-Latta-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby

Grubauer 

Game time 7:00 pm

*Caps have send Chris Brown down to Hershey pending waivers.

*Called up D Connor Carrick 

Postgame Recap: Caps 2 Senators 1

 The Caps remain hot with yet another win, as Braden Holtby was given a two goal cushion and the Caps didn't look back. Thanks to a questionable call the Sens made it closer then the game actually was. (No Highlights found)

Other Notes:

*Michael Latta had his best game as a pro last night scoring a beautiful goal on a breakaway, and then getting an assist. Latta was returning to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the last few games.

*Braden Holtby again was his dominant self again, as he was great and the only goal he gave up was a lucky bounce. Other than that he was rock solid again.

*John Carlson continues to have a great year with yet another goal which was set up by a great pass from Justin Williams.

*The Caps played a great game and were in control till Tom Wilson was given a 5 minute major after hitting shoulder to shoulder with Curtis Lazar. It was questionable because on one hand it was shoulder to shoulder and the puck was right there for Wilson to grab. I guess I can see why they may have called it because Lazar did not see the hit coming.

*After that penalty the Sens were able to cut the lead to 2-1 but the boys finished the job. The penalty killing has been very good this season and even though they gave up one goal they didn't allow the Sens to tie it.

*Overall it was a win that keeps the Caps hot and now gives them a 4 point lead over the Rangers for first in the Metro Division, and 5 up on the third place Islanders. The Caps still have two games in hand on both of those teams and are also sitting 3 points up on the Montreal Canadians for 1st place in the Eastern Conference. We will see if they can remain on a roll tomorrow night.


What's Next: Friday Dec. 18th vs. Tampa Bay 7:00 p.m on CSN

Caps Lineup tonight vs. Ottawa Senators

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Wilson

Laich-Latta-Burakovsky

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby

Grubauer

Game Time 7:00 p.m on CSN 

Postgame Recap: Caps 4 Penguins 1

 The Caps were able to use a quick start and another great night from Braden Holtby to spoil Mike Sullivan's debut as Pens coach. The Caps would take an early lead and then Braden Holtby was a stone wall as the Caps leave Pittsburgh with a 4-1 win. (Only Highlight's I can find, ignore the commentary)

Other Notes:

*First and foremost Braden Holtby once again was just amazing. The Caps gave him a two goal lead right away but the Pens came after the Caps with everything they had but Holtby was just that much better. Holtby made 44 saves on 45 shots.

*T.J Oshie came to play last night that's for sure. T.J had a nice assist on the first goal of the game when he found Nick Backstrom who beat Marc-Andre Fluery to give the Caps a 1-0 lead. Then in the third Oshie put the game away with a beautiful wrap around goal and then scored late on a 5 on 3 to pad the stats a bit. Overall though he played really well.

*John Carlson had a good night as well getting the other goal for the Caps which made it 2-0 in the first period. Carlson also got an assist on the late 5 on 3 goal.

*An issue I had with last nights game is again the Caps are giving up a lot of shots and making Braden Holtby work a lot. The win is nice but would like to see them give up a few less shots in the process. It's nit picking a bit but this team is done with just making the playoffs it wants to go far.

*I thought Stan Galiev had one of his best games last night, skating well with Andre Burakovsky and Brooks Laich. Had a breakaway and was stopped but that line had a couple good shifts.

*Overall it was a nice win at an arc rivals barn, it's always nice to beat a team in your division. Also, a little bit of pay back from earlier in the season as well. With the win the Caps have moved a point ahead of the Montreal Canadians for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Caps also lead the Islanders by 3 points for the Metro Division lead, again still two games in hand.


What's Next: Wednesday Dec. 16th vs. Ottawa 7:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Pittsburgh Penguins

 The Caps are back up north after two games in Florida. Tonight they are in Pittsburgh to take on a Penguins team that will be lead by new coach Mike Sullivan as they let Mike Johnston go this weekend. Should be a interesting night in Steeletown. Here is the lineup based on the morning skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Galiev
Burakovsky-Laich-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*Braden Holtby is grabbing the attention of the entire league. The way he is playing right now is Vezina Trophy winning quality.

*Stan Galiev will stay in the lineup tonight after getting an assist in Tampa on Saturday. He will also continue to be on the second power play unit.

*Brooks Orpik's injury looks like it might keep him out quite a bit, now I am not sure if its true or not though because it was from Pierre McGuire.

*The Caps need to play a good 60 minute game tonight, the boys need to score and give Holts a lead again like they did on Saturday.

*Overall the Caps need to win tonight to keep the momentum going. Things have changed since the Pens beat the Caps 3-1 at Verizon Center earlier in the season. Another two points will keep the ball rolling.

Gametime 7:00 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 2 Lightning 1

 Braden Hotlby once again was outstanding between the pipes as he stole last night's game to help the Caps beat the Lightning 2-1. Holtby made 35 saved on 36 shots, and face 15 shots alone in the third period. (No Full Highlights)

Other Notes:

*Barry Trotz wanted more production from the 3rd and 4th lines so he switched things up. It payed off as Jay Beagle scored his 4th goal of the season with Stan Galiev getting the assist.

*Evgeny Kuznetsov remains to be just amazing this year, as he had a sneaky move to beat Ben Bishop for his 9th goal of the season. That at the time gave the Caps a 2-0 lead going into the 2nd period. John Carlson picked up the assist on the goal.

*The third period was not a good one for the Caps as the Lightning out shot them 15-1. However, once again Braden Holtby was too much in net for the Bolts to make the comeback complete.

*The Caps would give up a power play goal but did a good job late to keep the Lightning to the outside and not get enough chances to tie the game.

*Overall the Caps played ok but again not great, Braden Holtby was the difference. Once the others play consist and Holtby continues to do what he's doing it will be even harder to beat the Caps. With the Rangers OT loss in Calgary the Caps are leading them by 2 points with three games still in hand.



What's Next: Monday Dec. 14th at. Pittsburgh 7:00 p.m on CSN

Caps lineup tonight at. Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimara-Beagle-Galiev

Burakovsky-Laich-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby

Grubauer 

Gametime 7:30 p.m on CSN 

Postgame Recap: Panthers 4 Caps 1

 The Caps had one of their worst games of the season last night as they let the Panthers control the game from the beginning to the end. Here are the highlights.

My Thoughts:

*Alex Ovechkin was able to score his 14th of the season and is now 11 goals away from 500. That is about the only positive from last nights game.

*I did think Philipp Grubauer played a good game, he just did not get much help from his teammates on the night.

*Tom Wilson ended the Caps comeback bid in the third period when he hit Brian Campbell from behind. Wilson would earn a five minute major and would be done for the night. Personally I thought their was no need to hit him, especially with his back towards him, it was a dangerous play. Wilson has done a good job this season not taking bad penalties but last night frustration set in I believe.

*Overall it was not a great night all around, it was as frustrating a loss you can have. Hopefully it was just a bad night.



What's Next: Saturday Dec. 12th at. Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Florida Panthers

 The Caps are in FLA to take on the Florida Panthers in the first of three on the road this week. Here is the lineup based on the morning skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Wilson
Laich-Latta-Brown


Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney

Grubauer
Holtby


Other Notes:

*Chris Brown will make his season debut tonight, Brown was injured in a fight in the preseason and recently had a rehab stint in Hershey. Brown scored 17 goals for the Bears last year, and could be a good fit on the 4th line. Andre Burakovsky will be the healthy scratch tonight.


*Philipp Grubauer will be in tonight as Braden Holtby will get the night off. It will be the battle of backups as Al Montoya is slated to start for the Panthers tonight.


*Tom Wilson will again stay on the 3rd line, and has played better and better in this recent stretch. Hopefully he can start to turn a corner and can make a difference.

*Against the Red Wings the Caps did a great job on the forecheck. I think it will be important to do the same thing against the Panthers tonight.

*The Caps will be facing 43 year old Jaromir Jagr, who is playing great hockey this season. It will be important to stop him from being creative with the puck.

*Overall this is a chance for the Caps to gain some breathing room on the Rangers who fell in Vancouver last night. The boys are playing very well and it is important to start the road trip off right.


Gametime 7:30 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 3 Red Wings 2 SO

 The Caps were able to have a nice comeback against the Red Wings Tuesday night, after trailing for a good portion of the game. Alex Ovechkin would tie the game and a strong shootout performance would lead to a 3-2 victory in front of the fans at Verizon Center.

My Thoughts:


*Alex Ovechkin scored career goal number 488 last night on a third period power play. The goal was huge as it tied the game, which of course would end up in overtime.

*Justin Williams started the game out quickly as on the first shift of the game Williams was able to beat Jimmy Howard and the Caps had an early lead.

*I thought Evgeny Kuznetsov was great last night, he picked up another assist and was all over the ice. The second line in general played very well as Marcus Johansson had two assists.

*Braden Holtby was good last night as both Red Wings goals he couldn't do much of anything about them. Jimmy Howard was good for Detroit too, made for a good goalie battle.

*The Caps did a great job blocking shots last night, most notably late in the third period the Caps turned the puck over and Thomas Tatar had a good look but John Carlson made a tremendous block to get the game into overtime.

*In the shooutout T.J Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored and Braden Holtby shut the door on the Red Wings and the Caps will head back on the road in first place in the Metro Division.

*Overall the Red Wings played well and held the lead for a good bit, but the Caps didn't panic and kept playing till they finally were able to tie it, and then they had a big PK in the overtime period as well. The Caps are playing very confidently and are finding a lot of ways to win hockey games. This is a good sign as we go through this season. Back on the road they go now to see if they can keep up the momentum.


What's Next: Thursday Dec. 10th at. Florida 7:30 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals vs. Detroit Red Wings

 The Caps return for a quick trip home tonight as they try to get back into the win column tonight as the Red Wings come to Verizon Center. Here is the lineup for tonight's game.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Wilson
Laich-Latta-Burakovsky


Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney

Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*Mike Green will make his return to Verizon Center tonight for the first time since signing with the Red Wings this summer. Should be a good home coming, the Caps welcomed Joel Ward back with a tribute video when the Sharks were in town in October. I expect something for Greenie tonight.

*Brooks Orpik retweeked his lower body injury so he will continue to be out.

*With injury concerns for Karl Alzner after the game against the Jets, the Caps called up defensemen Aaron Ness from Hershey for emergency purposes, however Alzner is going to play tonight. So, Ness will stay with the Caps for now just in case he is needed.

*Marcus Johansson was out with a minor injury on Saturday, however he is expected to be back tonight.

*With Tom Wilson playing better, Barry Trotz is going to keep him on the third line for the time being.

*Braden Holtby is playing lights out, and that's an understatement. Barry Trotz would like to get Philipp Grubauer in a game soon but Holts is playing so well that he is staying with the hot hand.

*Petr Mrazek was great against the Caps earlier this season, but the Wings have chosen to go with Jimmy Howard in net tonight.

*Overall the motto of don't lose two in a row will be in play tonight, the Caps have been carried by Braden Holtby a lot lately but I think tonight the rest of the team needs to follow. Should be a good game tonight, and it will be tough as the Wings are still a solid hockey team.


Gametime 7:30 p.m on NBCSN

Postgame Recap: Jets 2 Caps 1 OT

What's Next: Tuesday Dec. 8th vs. Detroit 7:30 p.m on CSN

Caps Projected Lineup at. Winnipeg Jets

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Burakovsky

Laich-Latta-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby 

Grubauer 

*Marcus Johansson is a gametime decision today, if he can't go Stan Galiev will be in. 

Gametime 3:00 pm on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 3 Canadians 2

 The Caps didn't play their best game of the season, however behind a pair of goals by T.J Oshie and stellar goaltending by Braden Holtby they were able to beat the Canadians 3-2. The Caps are the only Eastern Conference team to beat the Habs in regulation at the Bell Centre this season.

My Thoughts:

*Tom Wilson scored his second goal of the season, and has now scored in two straight games. It is good to see him start to produce, and play an overall good game as Barry Trotz moved him up to the third line in the third period. Hopefully Willy can keep it up.


*T.J Oshie scored two last night, the first was on a good bounce and the second was on a nice deflection off of a shot from the point by Karl Alzner. Oshie had a great chance before his first goal but Mike Condon made a great save on a semi-breakway.

*Braden Holtby was just outstanding last night in net, the Canadians outshot the Caps and were coming hard. However, it was Holts who kept the Caps in it so that they could win.

*Overall the Caps didn't play great but they were able to still find a way to win. The mark of good teams is when you don't play your best and win. The boys played the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference and were able to leave their barn with a win. Another step in the process but I am very pleased with how this team is playing.

*Another note is the bottom six is playing very well and I am liking what I see from Michael Latta who is playing like a bull dog recently. Looks like he is starting to come into his own a bit.

*Also Nate Schmidt deserves so recognition as he is playing very well with John Carlson while Brooks Orpik is sidelined, another young player that is making a difference.


*Again I'm happy with the win and that makes six wins in a row going into the weekend. The Caps are currently tied with the Rangers for 1st in the Metro Division but have 3 games in hand still as the Rangers fell to Colorado last night. We will see if they can continue the streak this weekend.


What's Next: Saturday Dec. 5th at Winnipeg 3:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Montreal Canadians

 The Caps will have one of their toughest tests of the season tonight as they take on the rock solid Canadians at the Bell Centre tonight. Here is the lineup based on the morning skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Burakovsky
Laich-Latta-Wilson


Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer



Other Notes:

*Carey Price is going to be out for about a month, so the Canadians turn to Mike Condon who is playing lights out for the Habs. The Caps will turn again to Braden Holtby.

*Brooks Orpik remains out, the injury was said not to be serious but he has been out quite some time now. The good news is the other defensemen have stepped up, we will see how long Brooks is out but he did not come on the trip.

*The 4th line has started to pitch in with goals, along with Jason Chimera on the third line. I would like to see Jay Beagle and Andre Burakovsky get on the board soon.

*It will be interesting if former Cap Alexander Semin gets in the lineup against his former mates, Semin has not had a great season so far for the Canadians.

*The matchup to watch tonight will be between Alex Ovechkin and P.K Subban. One of the best scorers in the NHL versus one of the best defensemen in the league. Should be fun to watch them.

*Overall this will be a good test for the Caps tonight, the Canadians are very good up and down their lineup and are very good at home. So, it is important for the Caps to play with a lead and stay out of the penalty box. Should be a very entertaining game tonight.


Gametime 7:30 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 4 Maple Leafs 2

The Caps continue to be on a roll with their 5th win in a row in Toronto last night behind a red hot power play and solid goaltending from Braden Holtby. The Caps now find themselves sitting all alone in first place in the Metropolitan Division.

My Thoughts:

*Jason Chimera is still on fire scoring his 7th goal of the season and adding another assist. I said I wanted more from the bottom six and Chimera has been the one who is delivering it right now.

*Tom Wilson finally was able to score is first of the season with a nice forecheck and a turnover, Wilson has struggled offensively this season so maybe that the first one is out of the way he can get going now.

*For the second night in a row Marcus Johansson scored on a redirect off his leg, even though it was not conventional goals are goals and he puts himself in good position for those things to happen.

*Justin Williams scored his 7th goal of the season off a great pass by Jason Chimera. Right now Justin is finding his scoring touch and it is benefitting the Caps quite a bit.

*Braden Holtby played a huge part in the win last night, the Leafs out played the Caps especially in the first period but Holts came up with some big saves to keep the Caps in the game till the power play took the game over.

*Overall it was nice to end the week with another two points, and now they sit a top the Metro Division and still have a game in hand on the New York Rangers, and have a little bit of breathing room from the Pens and Islanders. The boys will have a few day off before what will be a huge test in Montreal.


What's Next: Thursday Dec. 3rd at. Montreal 7:30 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Toronto Maple Leafs

 The boys are back at it tonight after winning their 4th in a row last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tonight they are North as they take on the improved Toronto Maple Leafs, here is the projected lineup for tonight's tilt.

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Burakovsky
Laich-Latta-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:

*Brooks Orpik has been out a while and I personally am concerned that it is worse that originally thought. The emergence of Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov however has helped the Caps keep humming along.

*Braden Holtby will be back in tonight. It is the first time this season that Holts will play back to back nights. This is no a huge surprise because the Caps will be off till Thursday after tonight's game.

*The Caps top two lines have been really good lately but I would like to see the bottom two lines pitch in a little more in terms of points. Jason Chimera has done well but I would like to see Tom Wilson and Andre Burakovsky score a little more.

*The Caps defense has been pitching in quite a bit offensively lately, again that is being helped by Dmitry Orlov lately who is doing a great job.

*The special teams has been very good lately, we all know the power play is very good. However, it is the improved penalty kill which is making me optimistic. Last year is was around 15 or 16 in the league, right now it is ranked 8th.

*Overall it will be tough tonight in Toronto as they will be excited to play the Caps. The Leafs are buying into Mike Babcock's plan, and they are improving. They were at home last night waiting for the Caps to fly in. So, it will be a good battle tonight as we will see if the Caps can make it 5 on a row.


Gametime 7:00 p.m on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 4 Lightning 2

 The Caps used their power play to build a big lead on Friday night, and then were able to hang on in the third to end the Lightning's 3 games winning streak and put the Caps winning streak up to 4.

My Thoughts:

*Alex Ovechkin scored his 12th goal of the season and is now 13 goals away from 500. Ovechkin has played very well ever since passing Sergei Federov for most goals in Russian history.

*Jason Chimera had a goal and assist, again showing that the idea to put him on the power play was a good idea.

*Evgeny Kuznetsov continues to be on a hot streak with two more assists, he is on pace to have a 90 plus point season. He is creating for himself and others, his slap pass to Jason Chimera was a great play.

*Marcus Johansson scored his 4th goal of the season on a redirect, for MoJo he hasn't scored mush but he has been getting a good amount of assists.

*T.J Oshie has been on a little slump lately but hopefully his goal last night will get him going. Even though he has 6 goals I still believe he is playing well and opening things up for Nick Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin.

*The Caps played a great game for about 50 plus minutes last night but let the Lightning score two quick goals in the third. They were able to hang on but that is a habit they should be careful not to do.

*Overall it was another great win and 4 in row to pull them only a point behind the Rangers for first in the Metropolitain Division with a game in hand on them as well. The team is continuing to come together nicely and are winning games in different ways. We will see if they can keep up the winning streak tonight.


What's Next: Tonight at. Toronto 7:00 p.m on CSN

Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

 The defending Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Lightning are in town to take on the Caps who are on a three game winning streak. Here is the projected lineup for tonight's game.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams
Chimera-Beagle-Burakovsky
Laich-Latta-Wilson


Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Orlov-Chorney


Holtby
Grubauer


Other Notes:


*It appears that Braden Holtby will start tonight, even though I'm not positive he normally starts the first game of a back to back.

*Andre Burakovsky will remain in the lineup, even though he has struggled I believe he just needs more games.

*I believe Brooks Orpik will be out again tonight, so that means Taylor Chorney will continue to get some time.

*I am very impressed with the way Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov have been playing recently, both have been solid in the defensive zone as well as pitching in offensively.

*Alex Ovechkin is still on his way to 500, he currently stands at at 486. If he continues to score at the pace he is at maybe he can get it in the next 20 to 25 games. If he gets hot then he may be able to get there in a shorter time.

*Overall tonight will be a very good challenge for the Caps who are playing a Lightning team that is still very talented. The Caps again need a fast start. This will be a test to see where they are as team 21 games into the season.

Gametime 5:00 pm on CSN

Postgame Recap: Caps 5 Jets 3

 The Caps won their third game in a row last night and have won four of their last five as they were able to have a balanced scoring attack to take down the Winnipeg Jets in front of a packed house at the Verizon Center. After a back and forth start the Caps were able to pull away.

My Thoughts:

*Justin Williams got the scoring started with his 6th goal of the season just 1:12 into the game, that's a fast start that the Caps have not had a lot in the early season.

*After the Jets scored twice to take the lead the Caps would get even on the power play when Alex Ovechkin took a pass from John Carlson and scored career goal number 486. For OV he is now 14 away from his milestone of 500.

*Nick Backstrom scored to make it 3-2 Caps in the second period after a nice passing play from Orlov to Schmidt who centered it to Backstrom for a tip in.

*Former Cap Mathieu Perreault tied the game for the Jets on a power play of their own, but about three minutes later a great effort by Evgeny Kuznetsov to find the red hot Dmitry Orlov who shot a bullet into the net with a Justin Williams screen to give the Caps the lead. For Orlov that's a goal in his last three games and a two point night for him.

*Evgeny Kuznetsov capped off a three point night with a goal at the 13:44 mark of the third after Marcus Johansson sent him on a semi-breakaway. For Kuznetsov it was a goal and two assist night.


*Nick Backstrom ended the night with a goal and assist. While John Carlson and Marcus Johansson each had two assist games.

*At the beginning of the season Nate Schmidt and Dmitry Orlov had their troubles, but not they are both playing better and better with each game. This will be huge late in the season as both of those guys continue to develop.

*Overall it was a nice win to make it three in a row, and the crowd at Verizon was loud and full of energy. I want to take the time to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there around the world. Today will be a time to spend with Family and Friends, hope everyone enjoys it.


What's Next: Friday Nov. 27th vs. Tampa Bay 5:00 pm on CSN

Caps lineup Tonight vs. Winnipeg Jets

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Burakovsky

Laich-Latta-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby 

Grubauer 

Game time 7:00 pm on CSN 

Postgame Recap: Caps 1 Oilers 0

 Braden Holtby was steller last night with 33 saves, and a third period goal by Dmitry Orlov was enough to give the Caps win number 14 on the season. Here are the highlights.

My Thoughts:

*Dmitry Orlov had a solid night and his goal was a bullet that beat Anders Nilsson to give the Caps the lead at the 13:28 mark of the third period.

*Orlov's goal was a product of a hard working shift by Michael Latta, Tom Wilson, and Brooks Laich. It was good to see the fourth liners have a shift like that that lead to a huge goal.

*The Caps for the most part slept walked through this game which for me was frustrating but Braden Holtby kept them in the game and really at the end of the day stole the game from the Oilers.

*Overall it was a low scoring game that did not see a ton of action, another big moment was when Nick Backstrom was called for a four minutes high sticking penalty and the PK killed it off which fired up the crowd at the Verizon Center.

*At the end of the day a win is a win no matter if it is ugly or pretty. Again the two points will give them a little bit of space in second in the Metro, they still sit 5 points behind the Rangers who won again last night.


What's Next: Wednesday Nov. 25th vs, Winnipeg 7:00 p.m on CSN

Caps lineup tonight vs. Edmonton Oilers

Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie

Johansson-Kuznetsov-Williams

Chimera-Beagle-Galiev

Laich-Latta-Wilson

Defense and Goalies:

Schmidt-Carlson

Alzner-Niskanen

Orlov-Chorney

Holtby

Grubauer 

Hershey Bears Update

 It has been a while since I have had the chance to update on the Hershey Bears, the Bears are currently sitting 5th in the Eastern Conference with a 9-5-0-3 record with 3 shootout losses. Here is there player stats thanks to hockeydb.com.

17	Chris Bourque	L	17	6	9	15	10	5	1986-01-29	29	Boston, MA	5.08	170
18	Carter Camper	F	17	2	9	11	4	5	1988-07-06	27	Rocky River, OH	5.09	173
28	Paul Carey	C	17	6	4	10	6	3	1988-09-24	26	Boston, MA	6.00	175
36	Garrett Mitchell	R	16	3	4	7	28	-1	1991-09-02	23	Regina, SASK	5.11	195
19	Riley Barber	F	16	3	4	7	4	-1	1994-02-07	21	Pittsburgh, PA	6.00	198
23	Sean Collins	C	16	2	5	7	6	0	1988-12-29	26	Saskatoon, SASK	6.01	198
27	Aaron Ness	D	16	0	7	7	8	2	1990-05-18	25	Roseau, MN	5.10	182
25	Connor Carrick	D	17	3	4	7	20	2	1994-04-13	21	Orland Park, IL	5.10	183
15	Travis Boyd	F	17	2	5	7	6	-2	1993-09-14	21	Hopkins, MN	5.11	184
13	Jakub Vrana	C	6	2	4	6	2	1	1996-02-28	19	Prague, Czech Rep.	5.11	185
10	Dustin Gazley	W	16	4	2	6	20	-3	1988-10-03	26	Novi, MI	5.09	154
7	Ryan Stanton	D	16	1	5	6	20	-1	1989-07-20	26	St. Albert, ALTA	6.02	196
12	Nathan Walker	L	16	2	2	4	6	-1	1994-02-07	21	Cardiff, Wales	5.08	186
22	Stanislav Galiev	L	5	3	0	3	2	2	1992-01-17	23	Moscow, Russia	6.01	187
5	Christian Djoos	D	11	1	2	3	0	1	1994-08-06	21	Gothenberg, Sweden	6.00	159
4	Madison Bowey	D	13	1	2	3	10	0	1995-04-22	20	Winnipeg, MAN	6.02	209
11	Zack Sill	C	16	2	1	3	24	-2	1988-05-24	27	Truro, NS	6.00	202
24	Chris Brown	C	4	1	1	2	6	0	1991-02-03	24	Flower Mound, TX	6.02	215
21	Chandler Stephenson	C	6	0	2	2	0	-1	1994-04-22	21	Saskatoon, SASK	5.11	190
20	Liam O'Brien	C	12	1	1	2	13	1	1994-07-29	21	Halifax, NS	6.01	205
35	Justin Peters	G	9	0	1	1	0	0	1986-08-30	29	Blyth, ONT	6.01	209
32	Erik Burgdoerfer	D	17	0	1	1	12	-1	1988-12-11	26	East Setauket, NY	6.02	210
14	Austin Fyten	L	2	0	0	0	0	-2	1991-05-03	24	Sundre, ALTA	6.02	200
40	Caleb Herbert	F	5	0	0	0	2	0	1991-10-12	23	Bloomington, MN	6.00	195
31	Dan Ellis	G	10	0	0	0	0	0	1980-06-19	35	Saskatoon, SASK	6.01	195
6	Mike Moore	D	12	0	0	0	23	-4	1984-12-12	30	Calgary, ALTA	6.01	206

#	Name	GP	Min	GA	GAA	W	L	T	ENG	SO	Saves	SvPct
35	Justin Peters	9	480	21	2.63	4	2	2	0	1	208	0.908
31	Dan Ellis	10	554	26	2.81	5	3	1	0	0	218	0.893