Pregame Notes: Washington Capitals at. Carolina Hurricanes

 The Caps are in Carolina to start a 3 game road swing that kicks off tonight against the Hurricanes. The Caps will try to end their 2 game losing streak against a Hurricanes team that will be without goalie Cam Ward who has a lower body injury. These are the lines from the morning skate.


Forwards:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Wilson
Johansson-Kuznetsov-Brouwer
Laich-Fehr-Ward
Chimera-Latta-Beagle

Defense and Goalies:

Orpik-Carlson
Alzner-Niskanen
Schmidt-Hillen

Holtby
Peters



What to Watch: 


*From what I am reading it looks like Andre Burakovsky is going to be a scratch tonight. Burakovsky has hit a wall lately and just is having trouble with consistency. He has an upside but I believe he is just still developing. It might be a good choice to let him sit a game.

*Michael Latta is taking rushes with the 4th line so if Burakovsky does indeed sit then I expect Latta to slip in. The Caps can use his toughness in the lineup.

*No official word yet but I do believe that Braden Holtby will start again tonight. Without back to back games this week Holts should get a lot of work in.

*The Caps are 10-10-4 on the season which is average. However, the Canes are only 8-13-3 so this could be a good night for the Caps to get back in the win column. Maybe this road trip can be a turn around. It's a quarter of the way through the season and the highest the Caps can finish in the Metro is 3rd. But that's fine that's all they should focus on for now.

*Evgeny Kuznetsov appears to be staying on the 2nd line for now. I think he needs to play faster, he looks like he isn't moving his feet.

*Mike Green made the trip with the team but I don't believe we will see him this week, but I think next week there is a chance.

*I think another guy the Caps can use more from is Jason Chimera, I think he isn't playing the way he is capable of. If he gets his speed going and plays with energy he is a good bottom six forward.

*I expect Anton Khudobin to start in net for the Hurricanes tonight. The Canes always give the Caps a fight though the Caps have won 8 of their last 10 in Raleigh.

*Gametime 7 p.m. on CSN