Game #66
Caps (44-13-8, 96 points) vs. Dallas Stars (28-24-12, 68 points)
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Hey, look everybody. It’s the Dallas Stars. Last we saw them in the District it was 2006. So, um…welcome back? I’m guessing the Stars – struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive – would rather be somewhere else. Like say Toronto. The Caps have won 13 games in a row at Verizon Center and 18 of their last 19 at home. The Dallas players left over from the last meeting on Nov. 30, 2006 absolutely won’t remember an atmosphere like this one tonight. Make it sellout No. 47 in a row, including playoffs. Another win and Washington matches the longest NHL home win streak since 1975-76.
Semyon Varlamov is in goal for the Caps. Tomas Fleischmann, Scott Walker and Shaone Morrisonn are the healthy scratches. I’m also guessing there aren’t too many NHL coaches at this time of year willing to sit an 18-goal, 27-assist player like Fleischmann. Such is the luxury of a 30-point lead in the Southeast Division and a 12-point advantage over the second-place team in the Eastern Conference.
“I don’t like scratching him, either,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. “But we want to get everybody involved. A lot of games left. If you leave everybody out and you play all the guys that you perceive to be the best and then all of the sudden three guys get hurt at the end of the season then you’re putting guys in that haven’t played in a month. And we don’t want to do that.”
Want to apologize for a mistake in the print edition of today’s paper. Tonight’s game is obviously on VERSUS and not Comcast SportsNet (HD). I know that’s an issue for all DirecTV subscribers out there. Hopefully that’s resolved soon. Not holding my breath, though.
