Game #49
Caps (30-12-6, 66 points) at Detroit Red Wings (24-16-8, 56 points)
Yes, the Red Wings are in ninth place in the Western Conference. Battered and bruised Detroit is just now regaining some measure of health after spending the first three months of the season as the NHL’s most injured team. But no matter where it is in the standings, whenever the Winged Wheel is in town it’s a big game. The Stanley Cup runners-up last spring beat the Caps in Detroit in October, 3-2, after a goal by forward Tomas Holmstrom with about 7 minutes left in the game.
Expect Jose Theodore in goal for the Caps. And for the second game in a row they will see a rusty goalie in the opposing net. Washington lit up Flyers goalie Ray Emery with five goals on just 22 shots. Emery hadn’t played since Dec. 5. Well, Chris Osgood is back for Detroit. He hasn’t played since Dec. 20 as Jimmy Howard has assumed the job full time. But Osgood held the Caps relatively in check in that Oct. 10 game. He made 22 saves on 24 shots. Only twice this season, including Sunday’s game vs. Philadelphia, have the Caps produced fewer than 24 shots.
Can Washington keep up its scorching offensive streak against the Wings? The Caps have scored four goals or more in each of the last seven games. Can’t do much better than that. Caps defensemen John Erskine and Brian Pothier are both out with injuries. Recalled defenseman Karl Alzner will be back in the mix. The Caps have won three in a row and six of seven. The are tied with Buffalo for first place in the Eastern Conference. A win tonight could push the Red Wings back into a playoff position. They are one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for eighth place and two behind the Calgary Flames. Detroit has made up for its lack of offense this season by being better defensively. The Red Wings have allowed just 124 goals – tied for sixth-fewest in the NHL.
