About the Capitals - 03-24-10
A preview of the Capitals.
When and where: 7 p.m., Verizon Center.
TV: FSN Pittsburgh, CSN D.C., NHL Network (United States).
Record: 48-14-10, 106 points. The Capitals are in first place in the Eastern Conference and Southeast Division.
Leading Scorer: Alex Ovechkin, 97 points (45 goals, 52 assists).
Last Game: 3-1 road win against the Lightning, Saturday. Jose Theodore made 33 saves in the victory.
Last Game against the Penguins: 5-4 overtime home win, Feb. 7. Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal each had two goals for the Penguins.
Capitals Player We Would Bet Money On Scoring: Alex Ovechkin. He has scored a goal or two against the Penguins we believe.
Ex-Penguins on the Capitals: Matt Bradley, RW.
Ex-Capitals on the Penguins: Matt Cooke, LW; Sergei Gonchar (right), D; Brent Johnson, G.
Useless Capitals Trivia Vaguely Related to the Penguins: Former Penguins forward Ron Lalonde scored the first hat trick in Capitals history. He scored three goals in an 8-5 home loss to the Red Wings, March 30, 1975.
Best Capitals YouTube Video We Could Find: Former Capitals captain Dale Hunter using former Penguins defenseman Kjell Samuelsson to remove the glass at the Civic Arena in the 1995 playoffs:
Notes:
-Marc-Andre Fleury (33-19-5, 2.66 GAA, .906 SV%) and Jose Theodore (26-7-6, 2.76 GAA, .911 SV%) are your expected starters in net.
-For the Penguins, Evgeni Malkin (foot) is day-to-day.
-For the Capitals, forward Brooks Laich (face) is questionable. Forward Boyd Gordon (back) is day-to-day. Forward Scott Walker (knee) is doubtful. Defenseman Milan Jurcina (sports hernia) is out.
-For some reason, Alex Ovechkin thinks a regular season game between teams with a 16-point difference in the standings isn't THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Sidney Crosby had three points (all assists) in the 10 games Evgeni Malkin has missed.
-Is Ovechkin reckless or dirty (PG+)?
-Laich (right, with teammate Nicklas Backstrom) was injured in practice yesterday when he took a puck to the face. He has has a six-game scoring streak,
-With a win, the Capitals can get their 108th point and match a franchise record for points which was set last season.
-Several Capitals were interviewed by Florida investigators yesterday. The Capitals are connected to a Virginia chiropractor who was arrested Tuesday and charged with obtaining steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs from an alleged steroids dealer in Lakeland, Fla.
-Television Heads-Up: Don't forget tonight's game is on NHL Network in the United States. And this week, several cable/satellite services are offering free previews. So basically, the only way you can't watch it is if you don't have cable/satellite or if your televisision is unplugged.
-Our live blog, direct from the nation's capital, will be begin at approximately 6 p.m. Please tune in.
(Photo: Gonchar-Photobucket; Laich-Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)