Sports
Caps, Hershey moves continue as team heads to Buffalo
By: Brian McNally
Examiner Staff Writer
December 30, 2008
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| Jose Theodore will get the start in goal tonight at the Buffalo Sabres. (AP) |
The Capitals recalled forward Chris Bourque and sent down goalie Simeon Varlamov. That means goalie Brent Johnson, who has been battling a hip injury, will be available today when the Caps travel to Buffalo for a 7 p.m. game against the Sabres.
Johnson will back up starter Jose Theodore, who has played well since being pulled from — and then reinserted into — last Tuesday’s win over the New York Rangers. It would be his fourth straight start, including a 3-2 win over the Sabres at Verizon Center last Friday.
Bourque will play if forward Donald Brashear is unable to go. The Caps may also recall a defenseman from Hershey if rookie Karl Alzner (bruised hand) is scratched. Bourque has already played in four games for the Caps this season. He is one of eight Hershey players used by injury-riddled Washington so far.
The Caps (23-11-3, 49 points) had the second-most points in the Eastern Conference entering play Monday night and fourth-most in the NHL. Through 37 games, Washington’s 49 points give it the second-best start in franchise history, tied with the 1991-92 Caps (24-12-1). Only the 1985-86 team (23-11-3) recorded more points (50) through 37 games.
Washington has won eight of its last nine, but heads to a city that has been hostile in recent years. The Caps have lost five of their last six in Buffalo and been outscored 32-16 in those games. The Sabres (17-14-5) won 5-0 at HSBC Arena on Nov. 1. Alex Ovechkin, Boyd Gordon and Viktor Kozlov each scored for the Caps in Friday’s win over Buffalo at Verizon Center.
Caps notes
» After a slow start — just four points in his first 12 games — second-year center Nicklas Backstrom has moved into the NHL’s top 10 in scoring with 36 points in his last 25 games. He now has 10 goals and 30 assists.
» Washington has not scored a first-period goal since a Dec. 18 win over St. Louis.
» Despite missing two games, Caps forward Alex Ovechkin is actually ahead of last year’s points pace (25 goals, 17 assists) through 37 games. So far this year he has 25 goals and 24 assists. Ovechkin was named NHL first star of the week on Monday.
