Game #46
Caps (27-12-6, 60 points) at Florida Panthers (18-20-7, 43 points)
Good thing the Caps are playing tonight. Sitting around and thinking too much about Tuesday’s ugly 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay wouldn’t have done anybody any good. Washington fell behind 4-1 in that one, actually made a nice comeback thanks in part to two Mike Green goals and then faded again. Green is back on top among NHL defensemen in goals scored (12) after his second two-goal game of the season. He also has at least one point in nine of the last 10 games.
According to Caps broadcaster Steve Kolbe – speaking on 106.7 The Fan’s LaVar Arrington/Chad Dukes show – rookie goalie Michal Neuvirth again gets the start. To me that would be a surprise. Veteran Jose Theodore did give up three goals last night in two periods after coming on in relief, but he was certainly in line to start for just the third time in 11 games. We’ll see how Neuvirth bounces back. He did make some nice saves against the Lighting to keep the Caps at least within shouting distance so it wasn’t all bad. But two off nights in a row could spell trouble.
Bad news for Florida tonight – Alex Ovechkin is actually playing. The Panthers have seen the Caps three times this season and Ovechkin has been out of the lineup each time. They’ve also allowed 17 goals in those games so how much worse can it get? Florida has lost five of its last seven games since Dec. 23.
