Washington hasn’t won at San Jose since 1993
It is a trip that ranks right up there with a visit to the dentist. The Capitals would actually prefer a good tooth drilling to what they have in store tonight.
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Washington begins a brief two-game stretch in California this week when it plays the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion at 10 p.m. tonight. It is a building that has never been kind to the Caps, who last won here when Bill Clinton was still president — and just starting his first term in office. That’s an unsightly 0-11 record since 1993, including a 7-2 loss to the Sharks on Nov. 22, 2008.
New Caps forward Jason Chimera — acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a trade for captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina on Monday — was at practice in San Jose on Tuesday and is expected to play Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, rookie goalie Semyon Varlamov has been assigned to AHL Hershey, where he will make at least one rehab start. The 21-year-old last played on Dec. 7 when he made 26 saves in a 3-0 shutout of Tampa Bay. On the last play of that game Varlamov suffered a groin injury and has struggled to find full health since.
“[Varlamov] hasn’t had a two-goalie, full-ice game situation yet,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau earlier this week. “Nothing like a 5-on-5 practice where he has to dart out and move back-and-forth in a real hurry.”
Varlamov was named to the Russian Olympic hockey team on Christmas Day. He will likely be the third-string goalie for that team. Russia’s starter is expected to be San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov, who starts for the Sharks tonight.
