Capitals (2-1-2) vs. Thrashers (4-1-1)
From NHL.com's preview:
Washington (2-1-2) had a rare offensive outburst Wednesday, beating the Florida Panthers 5-2.
Alexander Semin had a goal and an assist as the Capitals scored all five of their goals in the first period and received points from eight different players. Washington hadn't scored as many as five goals in any of its previous four games.
Jamie Heward and Matt Bradley scored unassisted goals and Richard Zednik had two assists for the Capitals, who were coming off two overtime losses.
It was the first five-goal period for the Capitals since Feb. 12, 2003, a 5-1 win at Atlanta.
Washington's Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the first time since the season opener. Ovechkin assisted on a game-tying goal with 5:40 remaining in regulation last Saturday.
He has five goals and 10 assists in nine career games against Atlanta.
Getting a big lead in the first period Wednesday allowed Olaf Kolzig to have a relatively stress-free night in goal. He finished with 34 saves and lowered his goals-against average to 3.01.
"We took advantage of our chances in the first period and created some breathing room," Kolzig said. "As a goalie, that's what you like to see, because if you make a mistake it's still a three-goal lead."
Mike Vogel's washingtoncaps.com short shifts, probable lines and injuries:
Short Shifts: Matt Bradley has four assists in 14 career games against Atlanta … Donald Brashear has three goals and 10 points in 16 career games against the Thrashers … Chris Clark has three goals and five points in 14 lifetime tilts vs. Atlanta. Clark has collected at least a point (two goals, five assists) in each of the season’s first five games, establishing a career high scoring streak in the process … Ben Clymer has three goals and eight points in 29 career games against the Thrashers … Rico Fata has three goals and six points in 11 career games vs. Atlanta … Boyd Gordon has a goal and two points in five career games against the Thrashers. Gordon netted his first NHL goal against Atlanta on Oct. 11, 2003 … Mike Green has two assists in three career games against the Thrashers. Green recorded his first NHL assist vs. Atlanta on Mar. 4, 2006 … Jamie Heward has two goals and 11 points in 12 lifetime games against the Thrashers … Brent Johnson is 6-3 with a 2.20 GAA and a .906 save pct. lifetime against the Thrashers … Olie Kolzig is 12-8-6 with four shutouts during his career against Atlanta … Brooks Laich has two goals and four points in eight career games vs. the Thrashers … Shaone Morrisonn has three assists in nine career games against Atlanta … Bryan Muir has a goal and four points in a dozen career games against the Thrashers … Alex Ovechkin has five goals and 15 points in nine career games against Atlanta … Matt Pettinger has four goals and five points in 20 lifetime contests vs. the Thrashers … Brian Pothier has two assists in eight career games against Atlanta … Alexander Semin has three goals and five points in five career games against the Thrashers. With six goals in his first five games this season, Semin has exceeded half the total of goals (10) he recorded as a 19-year-old rookie in the NHL in 2003-04. Eleven of Semin’s 16 career NHL goals have come against Southeast Division foes … Brian Sutherby has three assists in 14 career games vs. Atlanta … Richard Zednik has seven goals and 21 points in 26 lifetime games against the Thrashers … Dainius Zubrus has 11 goals and 19 points in 25 career games vs. Atlanta … Johan Hedberg is 3-2-2 lifetime against the Capitals … Bobby Holik has 18 goals and 42 points in 71 lifetime games vs. Washington … Marian Hossa has 19 goals and 39 points in 31 career games against the Caps … Niko Kapanen has four assists in five career games against the Capitals … Ilya Kovalchuk has 13 goals and 27 points in 23 career games against Washington … Slava Kozlov has 10 goals and 21 points in 32 career games against the Capitals … Kari Lehtonen is 4-0 lifetime against Washington … Steve McCarthy has one goal and two points in four career games against the Caps … Scott Mellanby has 18 goals and 50 points in 81 career contests vs. the Capitals … Steve Rucchin has five goals and six points in 16 career games against the Caps … Jon Sim has nine goals and 13 points in 15 career games against Washington. He has twice as many goals against the Caps as he does against any other foe … Andy Sutton has six goals and 10 points in 23 career games against the Caps. Sutton has three times as many goals against Washington as he does against any other opponent in the league.
Injuries
Atlanta Thrashers
Defenseman Braydon Coburn has a shoulder injury and is out indefinitely.
Washington
Center Boyd Gordon has a lower body injury and is day-to-day.
Left wing Matt Pettinger has an upper body injury and is day-to-day.
Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings
Atlanta
Forwards
17-Kovalchuk, 20-Rucchin, 18-Hossa
13-Kozlov, 9-Metropolit, 14-Sim
23-Slater, 16-Holik, 19-Mellanby
29-Larsen, 39-Kapanen, 11-Vigier
Defensemen
25-Sutton, 28-Havelid
2-Exelby, 5-McCarthy
3-Vishnevski, 7-de Vries
Goaltenders
1-Hedberg, 32-Lehtonen
Washington
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 17-Clark
28-Semin, 24-Beech, 20-Zednik
21-Laich, 16-Sutherby, 10-Bradley
87-Brashear, 38-Klepis, 22-Fata
Defensemen
2-Pothier, 26-Morrisonn
27-Clymer, 44-Eminger
6-Heward, 52-Green
Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 37-Kolzig
Team Leaders: Washington Atlanta
Goals: Semin (6) Hossa (5)
Points: Semin (8) Hossa (8)
+/-: Semin (5) Kozlov (5)
Team Stats/Game (rank): Washington Atlanta
Goals for: 3.40 (5) 3.33 (6)
Goals against: 3.00 (19) 1.67 (2)
PP Pct: 11.1 (23) 19.4 (9)
PK Pct: 77.8 (24) 92.3 (1)
The JET's Take:
The Capitals have not lost a game in regulation since opening night in New York. They haven't won a game away from the Verizon Center. That being said, they are 2-0-1 against the Southeast, but now it's time to come back to earth. Ovechkin hasn't found his stride, Zednik and Pothier have been mediocre and Kolzig still cannot afford to give up to many rebound with that defense in front of him (which he invariably does). The Capitals horrid special teams will allow Atlanta to feast and beat the Capitals.
Washington (2-1-2) had a rare offensive outburst Wednesday, beating the Florida Panthers 5-2.
Alexander Semin had a goal and an assist as the Capitals scored all five of their goals in the first period and received points from eight different players. Washington hadn't scored as many as five goals in any of its previous four games.
Jamie Heward and Matt Bradley scored unassisted goals and Richard Zednik had two assists for the Capitals, who were coming off two overtime losses.
It was the first five-goal period for the Capitals since Feb. 12, 2003, a 5-1 win at Atlanta.
Washington's Alex Ovechkin was held without a point for the first time since the season opener. Ovechkin assisted on a game-tying goal with 5:40 remaining in regulation last Saturday.
He has five goals and 10 assists in nine career games against Atlanta.
Getting a big lead in the first period Wednesday allowed Olaf Kolzig to have a relatively stress-free night in goal. He finished with 34 saves and lowered his goals-against average to 3.01.
"We took advantage of our chances in the first period and created some breathing room," Kolzig said. "As a goalie, that's what you like to see, because if you make a mistake it's still a three-goal lead."
Mike Vogel's washingtoncaps.com short shifts, probable lines and injuries:
Short Shifts: Matt Bradley has four assists in 14 career games against Atlanta … Donald Brashear has three goals and 10 points in 16 career games against the Thrashers … Chris Clark has three goals and five points in 14 lifetime tilts vs. Atlanta. Clark has collected at least a point (two goals, five assists) in each of the season’s first five games, establishing a career high scoring streak in the process … Ben Clymer has three goals and eight points in 29 career games against the Thrashers … Rico Fata has three goals and six points in 11 career games vs. Atlanta … Boyd Gordon has a goal and two points in five career games against the Thrashers. Gordon netted his first NHL goal against Atlanta on Oct. 11, 2003 … Mike Green has two assists in three career games against the Thrashers. Green recorded his first NHL assist vs. Atlanta on Mar. 4, 2006 … Jamie Heward has two goals and 11 points in 12 lifetime games against the Thrashers … Brent Johnson is 6-3 with a 2.20 GAA and a .906 save pct. lifetime against the Thrashers … Olie Kolzig is 12-8-6 with four shutouts during his career against Atlanta … Brooks Laich has two goals and four points in eight career games vs. the Thrashers … Shaone Morrisonn has three assists in nine career games against Atlanta … Bryan Muir has a goal and four points in a dozen career games against the Thrashers … Alex Ovechkin has five goals and 15 points in nine career games against Atlanta … Matt Pettinger has four goals and five points in 20 lifetime contests vs. the Thrashers … Brian Pothier has two assists in eight career games against Atlanta … Alexander Semin has three goals and five points in five career games against the Thrashers. With six goals in his first five games this season, Semin has exceeded half the total of goals (10) he recorded as a 19-year-old rookie in the NHL in 2003-04. Eleven of Semin’s 16 career NHL goals have come against Southeast Division foes … Brian Sutherby has three assists in 14 career games vs. Atlanta … Richard Zednik has seven goals and 21 points in 26 lifetime games against the Thrashers … Dainius Zubrus has 11 goals and 19 points in 25 career games vs. Atlanta … Johan Hedberg is 3-2-2 lifetime against the Capitals … Bobby Holik has 18 goals and 42 points in 71 lifetime games vs. Washington … Marian Hossa has 19 goals and 39 points in 31 career games against the Caps … Niko Kapanen has four assists in five career games against the Capitals … Ilya Kovalchuk has 13 goals and 27 points in 23 career games against Washington … Slava Kozlov has 10 goals and 21 points in 32 career games against the Capitals … Kari Lehtonen is 4-0 lifetime against Washington … Steve McCarthy has one goal and two points in four career games against the Caps … Scott Mellanby has 18 goals and 50 points in 81 career contests vs. the Capitals … Steve Rucchin has five goals and six points in 16 career games against the Caps … Jon Sim has nine goals and 13 points in 15 career games against Washington. He has twice as many goals against the Caps as he does against any other foe … Andy Sutton has six goals and 10 points in 23 career games against the Caps. Sutton has three times as many goals against Washington as he does against any other opponent in the league.
Injuries
Atlanta Thrashers
Defenseman Braydon Coburn has a shoulder injury and is out indefinitely.
Washington
Center Boyd Gordon has a lower body injury and is day-to-day.
Left wing Matt Pettinger has an upper body injury and is day-to-day.
Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings
Atlanta
Forwards
17-Kovalchuk, 20-Rucchin, 18-Hossa
13-Kozlov, 9-Metropolit, 14-Sim
23-Slater, 16-Holik, 19-Mellanby
29-Larsen, 39-Kapanen, 11-Vigier
Defensemen
25-Sutton, 28-Havelid
2-Exelby, 5-McCarthy
3-Vishnevski, 7-de Vries
Goaltenders
1-Hedberg, 32-Lehtonen
Washington
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 17-Clark
28-Semin, 24-Beech, 20-Zednik
21-Laich, 16-Sutherby, 10-Bradley
87-Brashear, 38-Klepis, 22-Fata
Defensemen
2-Pothier, 26-Morrisonn
27-Clymer, 44-Eminger
6-Heward, 52-Green
Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 37-Kolzig
Team Leaders: Washington Atlanta
Goals: Semin (6) Hossa (5)
Points: Semin (8) Hossa (8)
+/-: Semin (5) Kozlov (5)
Team Stats/Game (rank): Washington Atlanta
Goals for: 3.40 (5) 3.33 (6)
Goals against: 3.00 (19) 1.67 (2)
PP Pct: 11.1 (23) 19.4 (9)
PK Pct: 77.8 (24) 92.3 (1)
The JET's Take:
The Capitals have not lost a game in regulation since opening night in New York. They haven't won a game away from the Verizon Center. That being said, they are 2-0-1 against the Southeast, but now it's time to come back to earth. Ovechkin hasn't found his stride, Zednik and Pothier have been mediocre and Kolzig still cannot afford to give up to many rebound with that defense in front of him (which he invariably does). The Capitals horrid special teams will allow Atlanta to feast and beat the Capitals.
posted by The Jet at 11:36 AM
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