Caps (7-0-0, 14 points) at Oilers (4-2-2, 10 points)
What – Game #8
Where – Rexall Place
When – 9:30 p.m.
TV – CSN HD
Radio – WFED-1500 AM
For the first time all season the undefeated Capitals are outside the region for a road game. Easy – at least travel-wise – games at Pittsburgh and Philadelphia dotted the October schedule along with five home games at Verizon Center. That changes Thursday night with the team in western Canada to play the resurgent Edmonton Oilers.
Washington has won one game at Rexall Place since 1996 – a 4-2 comeback victory on Dec. 19, 2009 when Alex Ovechkin scored a pair of goals in a third-period comeback from a 2-0 deficit, including one just 32 seconds into that final period. That also happened to be their last visit. Check out our preview of the intriguing young Oilers here. There’s a ton of homegrown talent. They also have trouble scoring goals. But veteran goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (3-0, 0.97 goals-against average, .963 save percentage) has been brilliant. I’d expect the same forward lines for Washington in tonight’s game.
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The Post’s Katie Carrera, the Times’ Stephen Whyno and WashCaps.com’s Mike Vogel all report from the morning skate at Rexall Place that defenseman Mike Green did not participate. So scratch him from the lineup. Have to wonder about the Vancouver game on Saturday, too, considering Green hasn’t skated since the Red Wings game. That’s why they brought Sean Collins along after a recall from AHL Hershey. Check out our blog post on Collins from earlier this week. No guarantee, but he’s been practicing with Jeff Schultz and that would seem to be your third pairing if Green can’t go. Dennis Wideman would move up a slot with Roman Hamrlik. Obviously, John Carlson and Karl Alzner would remain together.
The Edmonton Journal reports that defenseman Ryan Whitney is dealing with a sprained right knee. He is out for tonight. Sam Ganger has been fighting a sore right ankle after suffering a sprain during training camp. This would be just his third game of the season.
The so-called Lottery Line – Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle – is the top unit for Edmonton, which averages an NHL-worst 1.88 goals per game. That doesn’t bode well for the Oilers’ playoff hopes. Eberle was chosen No. 22 overall in 2009. Hall was the NHL’s No. 1 overall pick in 2010 and Nugent-Hopkins, 18, was chosen No. 1 this past June. There are some serviceable veterans on the club. Ryan Smyth, a longtime Oiler, returned this offseason. He’s scored at least 20 goals in 10 of the last 13 seasons, including 23 with the Los Angeles Kings last season. Forward Ales Hemsky hasn’t played since Oct. 13 thanks to right shoulder pain.
With Whitney out, Edmonton has to shuffle the blueline a bit. According to 630 CHED radio, the defensive pairings during the morning skate at Rexall Place were: Theo Peckham-Corey Potter; Ladislav Smid-Tom Gilbert; Cam-Barker-Andy Sutton. Whitney had been playing with Potter. The station’s Dan Tencer also says that coach Tom Renney will stick with the forward lines from Tuesday’s win over Vancouver.
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