Theodore made several nice saves when he entered the game in the second period and kept the Hurricanes off the board throughout his 40 minutes. With Johnson still ailing, Theodore will be back on the ice at 7 tonight when the Caps (9-4-2) begin a home-and-home series with the New Jersey Devils (7-6-2) at Verizon Center.

“When a team is winning it makes [sitting] easier,” said Theodore, who signed a two-year, $4.5 million free-agent contract over the summer to be the Caps’ No. 1 goalie, but had been supplanted this month by Johnson. “The Buffalo game [a 5-0 loss on Nov. 1] was obviously a tough game for everybody, for myself. But before that we had a two-game win streak. So I think the team was really building something good. But as a goalie when you see someone with the hot hand you know they’re going to go with him. Johnny is playing really well.”

The compact schedule continues this weekend as the Caps play for the eighth time in 15 days. Injured defenseman Shaone Morrisonn (groin) practiced on Thursday and could be available as soon as tonight, according to Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. That is less likely for center Sergei Fedorov (lower-body injury), who did skate on his own prior to Wednesday’s game but was not on the ice Thursday. Johnson also did not practice thanks to the hip injury. But he will be available as a back up against the Devils.

“I think [Theodore’s play] gives you a little bit more comfort when that happens,” Boudreau said. “But it’s also five games in seven days for us, too, so we were planning on playing Theo in one of the games this weekend anyway. So why not give [Johnson] that extra day of rest.”

The Caps are facing a New Jersey team still reeling over the loss of goalie Martin Brodeur, who is out 3-to-4 months after elbow surgery. The Devils will need better play from new starter Kevin Weekes, who was pulled on Wednesday after allowing four second-period goals to the New York Rangers.

“Hopefully their goaltending [situation] is up in the air and it will give us a chance to throw pucks at the net. Guys have got hot sticks right now,” said Caps defenseman Mike Green, who registered a power-play goal against Carolina. “But even without Brodeur I think the structure of their team and the way they play is why they’re so good defensively. So we’re just going in with the same mindframe that we’ve had the last few games and see what happens.”

Caps notes


» The Caps announced the signing of defenseman John Carlson, one of their two first-round selections in the 2008 draft, to a three-year entry-level contract. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is currently playing junior hockey for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. Carlson, 18, already has two goals and 10 assists. He was drafted 27th overall last summer.