Game #18
Caps (10-3-4, 24 points) vs. New York Islanders (6-6-5, 17 points)
Good to see you again! This is the third game in 19 days between these two teams. Needless to say, the Caps are kind of tired of the scrappy Islanders. New York probably won’t make the playoffs this season. But it’s definitely stockpiling a decent group of young players and likely will make life difficult for teams in the Atlantic Division.
Gee, you think this game will need overtime? The Caps have seen four of their last six games with New York go beyond regulation. They won, 3-2, on Oct. 24 on Long Island. That was thanks to a Brooks Laich goal. But they lost, 4-3, at Verizon Center on Oct. 30. Defenseman Mark Streit scored just 53 seconds into overtime to win that one. Washington also won twice in overtime against the Islanders last season. Only two of the last 10 games between these teams have been decided by more than one goal.
Expect Jose Theodore in goal for the Caps. Looks like Jeff Schultz and Tyler Sloan are the defensive scratches. Schultz, of course, is still dealing with a lower-body injury. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau says forward Boyd Gordon is possible for this weekend’s game vs. Minnesota and New Jersey. He also hasn’t ruled out forward Alex Ovechkin – although next week still looks like a better bet for him.
