Jan 19 :: Storming the Capital (Capitol?)

On By mpetrella
Remember this crazy son of a bitch? Also, I’m sorry 
to display a picture that might have given you a seizure. 

WHAT’S ALL THIS THEN?
Red Wings @ Capitals. 7pm. Wings Wings Tuesday. Have you ever driven in DC? It’s a nightmare. In fact, when I was working at Travel Channel, I wrote a (required) crew blog post about my experiences shooting in DC. Give it a read and then comment more on this post than those crazy Travel Channel fans did for that one.
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
1. The Wings are coming off of two heartbreaking shootout losses, but this is an interconference game and, though its against one of the better teams in the East, the Western Conference has been having it’s way with the Eastern Conference this season. Let’s hope that continues.
2. This spot was reserved for the announced starting goaltender. We haven’t been told.
3. Alex Ovechkin has thirty goals on the season. Thirty. For reference, that’s the same amount Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Johan Franzen have. Combined.
NOW WHERE WERE WE?
The Wings and Caps played on October 10th, the fourth game of the season (strangely, it followed a Blackhawks game). Detroit won by a score of 3-2, with Chris Osgood in net. The goals were scored by Homer, Leino, and Jason Williams. It was the first game the Wings played without Johan Franzen.
OH, HI AGAIN 
Former Red Wing and Michigan Wolverine Mike Knuble is now a Washington Capital. Here’s an odd bit of trivia that I uncovered: of all the former Red Wings still in the NHL, he has been gone the longest. He was traded to the Rangers in 1998 for a second round draft pick (which became the one, the only Tomas Kopecky).
Capital Tomas Fleischmann was a Red Wing draft pick that went to DC as part of the Robert Lang deal. The other parts were a first round pick in 2004 (which ended up being Mike Green) and a fourth round pick in 2006 (which ended up being Luke Lynes).

MEMBA ME?! 
There are currently no former Capitals on the Red Wings.

BEST NAME NOMINEE
Alexander Semin. No, I’m just kidding. That’s a horrible name. I’m going to go with Jason Chimera, since it sounds like it’s the name of some horrible man-made disease from a Michael Crichton novel.
THEIR LAST GAMES
–Detroit lost, in a shootout, to Chicago on Sunday. I died on the inside just a little bit.
–Washington defeated Philadelphia, 5-3, on Sunday. Everyone who is supposed to score, did. It was like NHL 94 ’round that bitty. Interesting: Alex Ovechkin’s goal came on the 2,000th shot of his career, giving him a career 12.45% shooting percentage. NASTY.
RECORDS
–Detroit Red Wings :: 24-16-8 (3rd in Central, 9th in West) :: 10-9-5 on the road.
–Washington Capitals :: 30-12-6 (1st in Southeast, 1st in East) :: 16-3-3 at home.
CAPITALS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nicklas Backstrom :: Eric Fehr :: Brooks Laich :: Quintin Laing :: Baton Rouge :: Brendan Morrison :: Alexander Ovechkin :: Alexander Semin :: Mike Green :: Tom Poti :: Semyon Varlamov
Also of note, Team USA defenseman and World Junior Championship hero John Carlson has been called up from Hershey. He’s played the last two games for the Caps (going a mediocre +4 in the process).
EXPECTED LINEUP
I haven’t heard any news, but I’ll be shocked if Brad May is in tonight. It’s about time to give Leino another shot (in Babcock’s book) and he can’t possibly be worse than Brad May. Also, haven’t heard which goaltender is going, and frankly – neither would surprise me. Watch how I play Devil’s Advocate with myself: It could be Jimmy Howard because it’s clear he’s the man. It could be Chris Osgood because Howard looked a little frustrated after the back-to-back losses. That said, maybe Babcock feels like he needs to go with Howard so Howard doesn’t think it was his fault. But, if Osgood doesn’t play after a losing streak, when will he? Washington’s one of the top teams in the league, so you have to play your starter (Howard). However, they’re an Eastern Conference team, a much safer bet for your backup.

Zetterberg — Datsyuk — Bertuzzi

Miller — Filppula — Cleary
Draper — Helm — Eaves
May — Abdelkader — Maltby
Lidstrom — Rafalski
Meech — Stuart
Lebda — Ericsson
Howard / Osgood
Nicknames courtesy of Ernie Capadino.
Scratch
Ville “See How It Works Is, The Train Moves, Not the Station” Leino
Injuries
Andreas “No Skin Off My Ashtabula” Lilja
Johan “Well Then! This Would Be More, Wouldn’t It” Franzen
Jason “If I Had Your Job, I’d Kill Myself” Williams
Niklas “I Hate When They Get Attached to Me Like That” Kronwall
Tomas “Hey Cowgirls, See the Grass? Don’t Eat It” Holmstrom
QUICK THOUGHTS
1. Whoever plays goal is going to have a hell of a day. 52 shots from the Caps are possible.
2. Nicklas Lidstrom has two goals in his last three games (also, two goals in his last 46). We touched on it in the newest podcast, and though I don’t think the drought had any effect on his confidence, it’s gotta feel good to get off the schneid and maybe he keeps rolling.
3. The Capitals are a team that has unbelievable firepower. If they’re going to keep up offensively, they’re going to need guys like Zetterberg and Datsyuk to counterstrike when they get the chance, because the Caps defense is questionable at best. That said, guys like Flip, Eaves, and even Darren Helm might be the ones getting the chances – and it’d be swell if they finished on them.
WHAT WE LEARNED vs. the Blackhawks
Patrick Eaves is a badass.
CAP WE COVET (JJ Special)
It’d be easy to throw a dart at this roster and hit a talented player. In a perfect world, every team would have it’s AO. I’ve always loved Knuble, and Morrison, but I’m not sure they’d fit in on the current squad. If I could poach one current Capital and make him our own, it’d be Brooks Laich. He’s a fantastic locker room guy, a gritty go-in-to-the-corners and sacrifice your beautiful nose for the team kind of player. He’d be welcomed with open arms in a blue collar town like Detroit.