Edmonton at bottom of Western Conference
It seems like the perfect trap.
After an emotional comeback win at Tampa Bay on Monday night, the Capitals return home to Verizon Center for a game against the lowly Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. There are plenty of reasons they shouldn’t even think of losing.
The young Oilers have spent much of the season in the NHL’s basement. They recently dealt winger Dustin Penner, who was tied for the team lead with 21 goals, prior to the NHL trade deadline. They lost rookie phenom Taylor Hall — who now has a team-high 22 goals — to a severe ankle sprain suffered in a fight last week. He is out for the season. Plus, Edmonton will be playing the second game of a back-to-back in the middle of a five-game road trip.
Don’t tell any of that to Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, however.
“You just try to remind [the players] what’s happened in the past and make them conscious that we don’t want [a letdown],” said Boudreau, who admitted his team hasn’t been very good this season following emotional or important victories.
With the pressure of the competitive portion of their season long over, Edmonton is playing better hockey. The Oilers had won three in a row and seven of 10 overall before losing to Philadelphia on Tuesday night. Not bad for a club that finished with the NHL’s worst record last season and could do so again in 2010-11.
Washington (37-20-10, 84 points) is still unsure who its goalie will be against Edmonton. Braden Holtby took over for fellow rookie Michal Neuvirth, who suffered an eye injury in Monday’s game against Tampa Bay. Boudreau was hopeful Neuvirth would at least be healthy enough to serve as the backup. There is no update on forward Nicklas Backstrom (fractured left thumb), who was re-injured against the Lightning. He and Neuvirth both underwent treatment after Tuesday’s optional practice and will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
