Caps (9-4-0, 18 points) vs. Devils (7-5-1, 15 points)
What – Game #14
Where – Prudential Center
When – 7 p.m.
TV – CSN HD
Radio – WFED-1500 AM
No way to piece together the lines at the Capitals’ morning skate here at Prudential Center. But we expect Marcus Johansson to center the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Troy Brouwer – even after he took a “maintenance” day on Thursday to deal with some lingering pain in an undisclosed location.
“It’s been sore for a while and I’ve decided to keep playing anyways,” Johansson said. “It’s not been helping it so I think I needed a day off.”
Johansson says the injury is not related to the slash he took from Ryan Smyth during the Edmonton game on Oct. 27. And he’s not exactly showing many ill affects with five goals and three assists in 13 games. It’s been a quick ascension after Johansson was scratched from the season opener on Oct. 8 against Carolina following a sub-par training camp.
“I think you’re used to playing through pain. There’s always something going on,” Johansson quipped.
Caps forward Matt Hendricks arrived just before 5 p.m. in Newark thanks to a busy, happy day. His wife, Kim, gave birth to twins, Gunner and Lennon, on Friday. He made sure everyone was healthy and then dashed up to make the game. We’ll see if the new dad has a little extra juice for this one.
First meeting between the Caps and Devils this season. Washington is expected to start Tomas Vokoun in goal. Veteran Martin Brodeur gets the nod for New Jersey. The Caps are trying to snap a two-game losing streak that has left them a little frustrated at their play. After a slow start, the Devils have won three games in a row, beating Philadelphia, Winnipeg and Carolina. Two of those games went past regulation.
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