Washington Capitals

Game #15 Washington Capitals at New Jersey Devils

Where: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

When: November 4, 2009 7:00 PM

History:
Caps Record on this Date: 8-4-0-1
Caps Game 15 Record: 14-14-4-2
All-Time vs. NJ: 72-55-8-9
All-Time at NJ: 30-33-4-4
Last Season vs. NJ: 2-0-2
Last Meeting: 10/12/09, WAS 2 NJ 3 (OT-SO)

This Year:

WAS Record: 8-2-4
Standings Points: 20
Division Rank: 1st
Conference Rank: 2nd
Last Game: 11/1/09, WAS 4 CLB 5 (OT)
Streak: Loss 2

NJ Record: 8-4-0
Standings Points: 16
Division Rank: 2nd
Conference Rank: 5th
Last Game: 10/31/09, NJ 2 TAM 1 (OT-SO)
Streak: Win 2

Probable Line-Ups:
Washington
Forward Line 1: 14 FLEISCHMANN, 19 BACKSTROM, 22 KNUBLE
Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 9 MORRISON, 28 SEMIN
Forward Line 3: 16 FEHR, 85 PERREAULT, 17 CLARK
Forward Line 4: 53 LAING, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY
Defense Pair 1: 26 MORRISONN, 52 GREEN
Defense Pair 2: 23 JURCINA, 3 POTI
Defense Pair 3: 55 SCHULTZ, 2 POTHIER
Goalie: 60 THEODORE
Back-up Goalie: 40 VARLAMOV

New Jersey
Forward Line 1: 9 PARISE, 8 ZUBRUS, 15 LANGENBRUNNER
Forward Line 2: 17 PIKKARAINEN, 19 ZAJAC, 12 ROLSTON
Forward Line 3: 18 BERGFORS, 21 NIEDERMAYER, 23 CLARKSON
Forward Line 4: 25 PETERS, 10 PELLEY, 16 HALISCHUK
Defense Pair 1: 5 WHITE, 27 MATTAU
Defense Pair 2: 29 ODUYA, 24 SALVADOR
Defense Pair 3: 6 GREENE, 2 FRASER
Goalie: 30 BRODEUR
Back-up Goalie: 35 DANIS

Injuries:
Washington - 8 OVECHKIN (upper body) WTW, 4 ERSKINE (upper body) DTD, 15 GORDON (back) DTD, 16 FEHR (upper body) DTD

New Jersey - 26 ELIAS (hip, groin) IR, 7 MARTIN (arm) IR, 20 PANDOLFO (shoulder) IR

Caps Milestones:
Tom Poti needs 3 points to reach 300 in his career.
Brendan Morrison needs 8 shots on goal to reach 1,400 for his career.

Preview:
The Caps face the New Jersey Devils without their two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin injured his shoulder in Sunday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The rest of the team will need to pick up their game as Ovechkin provided 1.64 points per game to the Caps this season. Expect the Capitals to bear down on the forecheck and tighten up the defensive play. Not to say that this will be an easy task but they will need to shut down the opposition more than before. Watch the intensity level for the Caps. They have not been able to produce a consistent 60-minute effort this season. Consistency will be the key to playing without Ovechkin. Also look for one of the top six forwards to step up. Alexander Semin can be a game breaker and Brooks Laich scored two goals after #8 left the ice last game. The Caps will have to rally as a team and I think they will put together a solid effort and pull this one out in a gritty grinding game.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 3 NJ 2

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