Game #58
Caps (39-12-6, 84 points) vs. Atlanta Thrashers (24-23-8, 56 points)
Not sure what kind of crowd we can expect tonight, but the folks who actually walk into Verizon Center will be excited. The Caps have won 12 in a row and go for No. 13 against the Thrashers, who traded star forward Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. Washington could match the 2000-01 Devils, who won 13 in a row that season.
Both NHLers the Thrashers traded for – defenseman Johnny Oduya and forward Niclas Bergfors – are here in Washington and in the lineup. Neither took part in the morning skate, though. Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal for Atlanta. Karl Alzner gets into the game tonight for the Caps after twice being a healthy scratch after a recall from Hershey this week. Meanwhile, Mike Green joins him. He hasn’t played since last Friday after a three-game suspension for an elbow infraction. The Caps also recalled goalie Michal Neuvirth from Hershey. He’s still on track to play for the Bears during the Olympic break so the team can afford to start him tonight. Jose Theodore, of course, just played last night against the Rangers.
