Caps (12-4-0, 24 points) at Sabres (5-9-3, 13 points)
What » Game #17
Where » HSBC Arena
When » 7 p.m.
TV » CSN HD
Radio » WFED-1500 AM
Bruce Boudreau was taken aback. He knew that the Buffalo Sabres – Northeast Division champs in 2009-10 – had struggled early this season. He knew they had missed star goalie Ryan Miller for seven games. But an 0-6-1 record at home at HSBC Arena? For a man who believes in the power of the odds that wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear as his team prepares for tonight’s game in Buffalo. The Caps have won six games in a row – another trend with a limited shelf life.
Boudreau kind of rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. Last he checked no NHL team had gone winless at home. And he knew for sure that the Sabres had won two of their last three games and earned five points total – and, according to the Buffalo News, they would have Miller back in net on Saturday.
Miller, last year’s Winter Olympics hero for the United States as it reached the gold-medal game in Vancouver, last played on Oct. 29. He has been on injured reserve since with a knee injury. Career stats vs. Washington: A 10-6 record with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. Miller’s numbers in 2010-11 (3-5-2, .903 save percentage, 2.71 GAA) are down from his brilliant Vezina Trophy season a year ago. But that’s only through 10 games and he’s been hurt so don’t put too much stock in those stats. The man is capable of stealing a win almost any given night.
The Caps have never really had much success against the Sabres – save for this beauty, of course. Sorry to any Sabres fans reading. That clip is definitely NSFW for you folks. The all-time series is 77-38-15-2 in favor of Buffalo and Washington has just 19 wins in 66 games in upstate New York. But the Caps did win three of four against the Sabres last season – first time that’s happened since 2002-03.
An early goal tonight would be nice. The Caps are a 9-3 after conceding the first goal this season. But that also doesn’t seem sustainable – even if they are again the NHL’s best offense. Washington has trailed at 17 of 32 intermissions.
“It’s great that you don’t get rattled [playing] from behind,” Boudreau said after Friday’s practice at Kettler Iceplex before his team’s flight to Buffalo. “But believe me I’d like to play from a position from ahead a couple times one of these days.”
Rookie center Marcus Johansson is expected back in the lineup for the injured Boyd Gordon. Johansson last played Oct. 21 at Boston thanks to a hip injury. Expect Michal Neuvirth back in goal for the Caps. A defenseman has scored a goal in each of Washington’s last six games, including John Erskine, Tyler Sloan and Tom Poti. Now if the Double Nickel could just fire one home from inside his own blueline again. Maybe Sunday against Atlanta? They’ve seen that movie before.
Special teams stats: Washington is 13-of-60 on the PP (21.7%, NHL 7th); Buffalo is 7-for-63 (11.1%, NHL 24th); On the PK the Caps have killed 10-of-68 chances (85.3%, NHL 12th); The Sabres are at 14-of-67 (79.1%, NHL 23rd)
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