Capitals (8-9-6) @ Lightning (13-10-1)
From NHL.com's preview:
Washington lost its sixth in a row Saturday, 4-1 to the New York Islanders. Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal early in the third period, his third in four games and 15th of the season.
Ovechkin has three goals and an assist during a four-game road point streak.
Success on the power play has been one of the few bright spots of late for the Caps, as they've scored with the man advantage in seven straight games. Washington, though, has been outscored 25-9 during its longest skid since an eight-game slide from March 10-23.
"We're just getting some bad bounces," said the Caps' Olaf Kolzig, who made 26 saves against the Islanders. "I'm a firm believer that the bounces even out, though. We'll get our share."
After Tuesday's contest, however, Washington's next four opponents are over .500, including matchups with Eastern Conference-leading Buffalo and Pacific Division powers Dallas and Anaheim.
Caps left wing Alexander Semin opened the season with eight goals in his first seven games, but hasn't scored since Oct. 21. He hasn't played since Nov. 17 and remains day-to-day with a shoulder injury.
Washington forward Donald Brashear will serve the final game of his three-game suspension for his actions in a late brawl during a 4-2 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.
From Mike Vogel's washingtoncaps.com short shifts, injuries and probable line combos:
Short Shifts: Donald Brashear has five goals and seven points in 27 career games against Tampa Bay. The five goals are tied for his most against any opponent … Ben Clymer has two goals in nine career games against the Lightning … Steve Eminger has a goal and five points in 12 career games against the Bolts. He has more points against the Lightning than against any other NHL club … Brent Johnson is 4-1-1 with a 2.11 goals against average and a .934 save pct. lifetime against the Lightning … Jakub Klepis has two goals and three points in his last four games … Olie Kolzig is 20-10-2 in his career vs. Tampa Bay … Shaone Morrisonn has two assists in nine career games against the Lightning … Alex Ovechkin has six goals and 11 points in nine career games against the Bolts. Ovechkin has nine goals and 15 points in his last 13 games … Matt Pettinger has three goals and six points in 15 career games against the Lightning. Pettinger has four goals and six points in his last eight games … Brian Pothier has two goals and seven points in 12 lifetime games vs. Tampa Bay … Alexander Semin has two goals and five points in six career games against the Lightning. Thirteen of his 18 career NHL goals have come against Southeast Division opponents … Richard Zednik has a dozen goals and 22 points in 34 career games against Tampa Bay. Zednik has three goals and eight points in his last seven games … Dainius Zubrus has nine goals and 22 points in 42 career games vs. the Lightning. Zubrus has three goals and six points in his last seven games … Dan Boyle has six goals and 21 points in 35 career games against Washington. Dan Boyle has four goals and eight points in his last eight games … Ryan Craig has two goals and three points in four career games against the Caps. Craig has two goals and four points in his last three games … Marc Denis is 2-3-1 with a 3.70 goals against average lifetime against the Capitals … Ruslan Fedotenko has nine goals and 17 points in 27 career games vs. the Caps … Johan Holmqvist has won eight of his last nine starts. He is 4-0 with a 2.03 GAA and a .920 save pct. at home this season … Filip Kuba has three goals and 11 points in his last 11 games … Vincent Lecavalier has 12 goals and 25 points in 37 lifetime games against Washington. Lecavalier has eight goals and 22 points in his last 18 games … Eric Perrin has two goals and four points in his last five games … Vaclav Prospal has five goals and 19 points in 35 career games against the Capitals … Brad Richards has five goals and 22 points in 30 lifetime tilts vs. Washington. Richards has eight goals and 13 points in his last 13 games … Martin St. Louis has nine goals and 22 points in 30 career games against the Capitals. St. Louis has four goals and nine points in his last four games.
Injuries
Tampa Bay Lightning
Left wing Right wing Rob DiMaio has a concussion and is out indefinitely.
Center Tim Taylor has a neck injury and is day-to-day.
Washington
Left wing Alexander Semin has an upper body injury and is day-to-day.
Right wing Richard Zednik has a lower body injury and is day-to-day.
Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings
Tampa Bay
Forwards
9-Perrin, 4-Lecavalier, 15-Alexeev
34-Craig, 19-Richards, 26-St. Louis
20-Prospal, 49-Jones, 17-Fedotenko
29-Afansenkov, 24-Karlsson, 74-Tarnasky
Defensemen
3-Janik, 22-Boyle
54-Ranger, 71-Kuba
21-Sarich, 44-Pratt
Goaltenders
30-Denis, 40-Holmqvist
Washington
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 17-Clark
28-Semin, 24-Beech, 18-Pettinger
10-Bradley, 16-Sutherby, 27-Clymer
21-Laich, 15-Gordon, 38-Klepis
Defensemen
2-Pothier, 26-Morrisonn
6-Heward, 52-Green
4-Erskine, 44-Eminger
Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 37-Kolzig
Team Leaders: WSH - TBL
Goals: Ovechkin (15) - St. Louis (15)
Assists: Pothier (12) - Lecavalier (16)
Points: Ovechkin (25) - St. Louis (30)
+/-: Heward (4) - St. Louis (8)
Team Stats (rank): WSH - TBL
Goals for/game: 2.74 (18) - 3.17 (9)
Goals against/game: 3.30 (25) - 3.04 (19)
Power Play Pct.: 16.1 (18) - 17.6 (12)
Penalty Kill Pct.: 80.9 (24) - 73.8 (30)
The JET's take: With Alexander Semin back, the Caps will try to snap that 6 game losing streak in Tampa Bay. This time, the Caps have the advantage of facing the WORST penalty kill in the league. This could potentially help their recently ailing power play.
The Caps get back their third leading scorer, but they have been bad in the last 6 games and especially bad this year against the division. Their defense still leads something to be desired and, again on the road, it is unlikely that they can snap their slump.
Washington lost its sixth in a row Saturday, 4-1 to the New York Islanders. Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal early in the third period, his third in four games and 15th of the season.
Ovechkin has three goals and an assist during a four-game road point streak.
Success on the power play has been one of the few bright spots of late for the Caps, as they've scored with the man advantage in seven straight games. Washington, though, has been outscored 25-9 during its longest skid since an eight-game slide from March 10-23.
"We're just getting some bad bounces," said the Caps' Olaf Kolzig, who made 26 saves against the Islanders. "I'm a firm believer that the bounces even out, though. We'll get our share."
After Tuesday's contest, however, Washington's next four opponents are over .500, including matchups with Eastern Conference-leading Buffalo and Pacific Division powers Dallas and Anaheim.
Caps left wing Alexander Semin opened the season with eight goals in his first seven games, but hasn't scored since Oct. 21. He hasn't played since Nov. 17 and remains day-to-day with a shoulder injury.
Washington forward Donald Brashear will serve the final game of his three-game suspension for his actions in a late brawl during a 4-2 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.
From Mike Vogel's washingtoncaps.com short shifts, injuries and probable line combos:
Short Shifts: Donald Brashear has five goals and seven points in 27 career games against Tampa Bay. The five goals are tied for his most against any opponent … Ben Clymer has two goals in nine career games against the Lightning … Steve Eminger has a goal and five points in 12 career games against the Bolts. He has more points against the Lightning than against any other NHL club … Brent Johnson is 4-1-1 with a 2.11 goals against average and a .934 save pct. lifetime against the Lightning … Jakub Klepis has two goals and three points in his last four games … Olie Kolzig is 20-10-2 in his career vs. Tampa Bay … Shaone Morrisonn has two assists in nine career games against the Lightning … Alex Ovechkin has six goals and 11 points in nine career games against the Bolts. Ovechkin has nine goals and 15 points in his last 13 games … Matt Pettinger has three goals and six points in 15 career games against the Lightning. Pettinger has four goals and six points in his last eight games … Brian Pothier has two goals and seven points in 12 lifetime games vs. Tampa Bay … Alexander Semin has two goals and five points in six career games against the Lightning. Thirteen of his 18 career NHL goals have come against Southeast Division opponents … Richard Zednik has a dozen goals and 22 points in 34 career games against Tampa Bay. Zednik has three goals and eight points in his last seven games … Dainius Zubrus has nine goals and 22 points in 42 career games vs. the Lightning. Zubrus has three goals and six points in his last seven games … Dan Boyle has six goals and 21 points in 35 career games against Washington. Dan Boyle has four goals and eight points in his last eight games … Ryan Craig has two goals and three points in four career games against the Caps. Craig has two goals and four points in his last three games … Marc Denis is 2-3-1 with a 3.70 goals against average lifetime against the Capitals … Ruslan Fedotenko has nine goals and 17 points in 27 career games vs. the Caps … Johan Holmqvist has won eight of his last nine starts. He is 4-0 with a 2.03 GAA and a .920 save pct. at home this season … Filip Kuba has three goals and 11 points in his last 11 games … Vincent Lecavalier has 12 goals and 25 points in 37 lifetime games against Washington. Lecavalier has eight goals and 22 points in his last 18 games … Eric Perrin has two goals and four points in his last five games … Vaclav Prospal has five goals and 19 points in 35 career games against the Capitals … Brad Richards has five goals and 22 points in 30 lifetime tilts vs. Washington. Richards has eight goals and 13 points in his last 13 games … Martin St. Louis has nine goals and 22 points in 30 career games against the Capitals. St. Louis has four goals and nine points in his last four games.
Injuries
Tampa Bay Lightning
Left wing Right wing Rob DiMaio has a concussion and is out indefinitely.
Center Tim Taylor has a neck injury and is day-to-day.
Washington
Left wing Alexander Semin has an upper body injury and is day-to-day.
Right wing Richard Zednik has a lower body injury and is day-to-day.
Possible Line Combos and Defensive Pairings
Tampa Bay
Forwards
9-Perrin, 4-Lecavalier, 15-Alexeev
34-Craig, 19-Richards, 26-St. Louis
20-Prospal, 49-Jones, 17-Fedotenko
29-Afansenkov, 24-Karlsson, 74-Tarnasky
Defensemen
3-Janik, 22-Boyle
54-Ranger, 71-Kuba
21-Sarich, 44-Pratt
Goaltenders
30-Denis, 40-Holmqvist
Washington
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 9-Zubrus, 17-Clark
28-Semin, 24-Beech, 18-Pettinger
10-Bradley, 16-Sutherby, 27-Clymer
21-Laich, 15-Gordon, 38-Klepis
Defensemen
2-Pothier, 26-Morrisonn
6-Heward, 52-Green
4-Erskine, 44-Eminger
Goaltenders
1-Johnson, 37-Kolzig
Team Leaders: WSH - TBL
Goals: Ovechkin (15) - St. Louis (15)
Assists: Pothier (12) - Lecavalier (16)
Points: Ovechkin (25) - St. Louis (30)
+/-: Heward (4) - St. Louis (8)
Team Stats (rank): WSH - TBL
Goals for/game: 2.74 (18) - 3.17 (9)
Goals against/game: 3.30 (25) - 3.04 (19)
Power Play Pct.: 16.1 (18) - 17.6 (12)
Penalty Kill Pct.: 80.9 (24) - 73.8 (30)
The JET's take: With Alexander Semin back, the Caps will try to snap that 6 game losing streak in Tampa Bay. This time, the Caps have the advantage of facing the WORST penalty kill in the league. This could potentially help their recently ailing power play.
The Caps get back their third leading scorer, but they have been bad in the last 6 games and especially bad this year against the division. Their defense still leads something to be desired and, again on the road, it is unlikely that they can snap their slump.
posted by The Jet at 11:05 AM
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