Game #81
Caps (53-15-12, 118 points) at Atlanta Thrashers (34-33-13, 81 points)
As I walked into Verizon Center for tonight’s game against the Thrashers, Caps forward Alex Semin was walking in front when team security representative Jimmy Wiseman popped out of a side hallway.
“Two more, Alex,” Wiseman said, patting Semin on the back. “Just two more to go.”
The Caps’ winger just smiled. The players know it, too. Atlanta tonight. Boston on Sunday – maybe a first-round playoff preview. And then the good stuff. With the postseason so close is avoiding injury a big concern for players tonight? Talked with several this week and most scoffed at the idea of playing scared. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau agreed.
“The minute you start playing to avoid injury is when you get hurt. That’s been the history as long as I’ve been involved in the game. You’ve got to play hard. You got to do what you have to do. I’m sure guys aren’t going to go face first and block a shot if the score is lopsided. By either team. But you’ve got to play hard. It’s the only way. I tell the players this all the time. The only thing in this world free is habits. So you either get into good habits or you get into bad habits. And we want to continue with the good habits
Jose Theodore will start in goal for the Caps. Brendan Morrison is expected to return to the lineup. Looks like defensemen Tom Poti and John Erskine are out. Forwards Matt Bradley, David Steckel and Mike Knuble join them. Boyd Gordon (back) also gets to test his balky back and see if it holds up under game conditions. All these guys are fighting for spots in the playoff lineup. Defenseman Mike Green is also back in the mix after missing two games.
Semin is going for 40 goals. Backstrom is sitting on 98 points and want to get 100. Alex Ovechkin is in the middle of a tight race for the Art Ross (points) and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies (most goals). His minutes will ideally stay under 21, according to Boudreau. Because that’s when the Caps – and Ovechkin – are at their best.
“You’ll see how the game goes. But I will say this – Alex’s point production is so much better when he plays under 21 minutes than over 23. And in the last four games he hasn’t played over 20 minutes. And our record is 4-0. I think in those times we’re 22-0 when he’s played under 21 minutes. So it’s obviously something we try to control. But it’s hard when you get behind and you need a goal. And if you have a lot of power plays he’s going to end up playing more minutes.
