Sabres and Devils visit Verizon this week
It was a long road home for the Capitals.
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After playing 13 games away from Verizon Center since Nov. 14, including a grueling trip out west last week, the Caps finally catch a break from the NHL schedule makers with three games at home over the holidays.
Two of those are against first-place teams in the Eastern Conference — the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Verizon Center and the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Washington hasn’t had a lot of success against either team this season. It is 0-2-1 against the Devils and has split two games with Buffalo — the latest a 3-0 shutout loss on Dec. 9.
That presents a stern test for the Caps (22-8-6, 50 points), who sit in third place in the conference after taking two of three on the road trip last week. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller was brilliant in that shutout win and continues to lead the NHL in save percentage (.938) and goals-against average (1.89). Buffalo is 22-10-3 and with 47 points has a comfortable lead in the Northeast Division. The Sabres are right behind the Caps at fourth in the conference.
“We took a lot of quality, quality chances against [Miller],” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said about the Dec. 9 loss. “And he was outstanding. Some of our guys said that was the best any goalie has played against us this year. You can’t defend against good goaltending.”
New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur, meanwhile, is setting records left and right. His latest was the NHL career shutout record of 104 when he blanked the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena on Monday night, 4-0. Earlier this month, Brodeur set the NHL record for most games played by a goalie. The shutout record — formerly held by Terry Sawchuk — had lasted for 40 years with no other modern player besides Brodeur coming within 24 games of it.
Brodeur has started all three of his team’s games against Washington this season and allowed just two goals in each. That despite the Caps leading the NHL in goals scored (130). No other team has more than 119.
