[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]Fresh off a win in the hardest Eastern Conference building for visitors to go in and leave happy (at least prior to Saturday night), the Caps head to Motown to face the Red Wings, who sport the NHL's best home mark at 14-3-1.
Detroit leads the League in points and is second in both goals against average and goals for per game. The Wings are fourth in the League in power play efficiency, sixth in penalty killing, first in five-on-five for/against ratio, first in shots on goal per game for and against, and have won eight of their last nine (the loss coming in a shootout last week).
Needless to say, Boudreau's boys will have their work cut out for them, visiting a building in which they haven't played in more than four years.
Why The Wings Will Win:
"Depth, depth, depth, and also depth. The Wings have stepped up their play with Tomas Holmstrom and Kris Draper out of the line-up, with all four lines contributing, and the possible returns of the Human Screen and the Wings' steadiest forward, respectively, will make the Wings that much harder to play against. Kronwall has stepped up his play on the back end, supplementing the Lidstrom and Rafalski's offensive punch and Chelios and Lilja's solid defence. Unless our boys keep scoring goals against themselves, I can't see the Caps outhustling, out-skating, or out-checking the Wings over sixty minutes of play. Mike Green and Tomas Fleischmann will continue to make the Robert Lang trade look dumber and dumber over time, but they won't have their revenge on Monday night." - Red Wings SnapshotsDaily Awards
"Because of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk,Tomas Holmstrom, and Nick Lidstrom. Also, they've outscored the Southeast Division 14-6 this season. I'm not very good at smack talk, but the Wings' record and roster mostly speak for themselves." - On the Wings
- Hart: Jarome Iginla (2G, including the game-winner, 2A, +1, 3 SOG)
- Ross: Kristian Huselius (5 points)
- Norris: Jay Bouwmeester (G, A, 3 SOG)
- Vezina: Tomas V0koun (W, 44 saves on 45 shots against)
- Richard: Jarome Iginla, Daymond Langkow, John Madden, Joel Perrault (2G each)
- Calder: Torrey Mitchell (SHG, +1, 2 SOG, 2 hits)
- Aiken: Stephen Valiquette (L, 5 goals allowed on 26 shots against)
17 comments:
I believe Jeoffery Lupul had a hattrick against the Devils didn't he?
Yeah but pish-posh. That guy gets a hat trick every night.
Lord ha' mercy but I do not like these people. Every since,
oh, say, spring of 1998. If our boys win this game, I'll eat my
href="http://www.bfeedme.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/cookie-witch-hat-recipe-10-29-2006.jpg">hat!
My hat.
Am I the only one who could really care less for the opposing teams "Why they will win" segment? Im here to read about the Caps not hear why they are gona loose.
I like it. It's an amusing way to find out what's up with another team and its fans.
Ovie is going to have a tough time on the ice as the Wings are good at shutting down snipers (I expect him to keep on hitting, though). I hope we don't give any Wings player (Zetterberg) a hat trick or something.
Detroit is a very good team (unless they're in the playoffs). Win or lose, I hope the Caps play a good, 60 minute game. Who knows, maybe Flash, Petty and Semin will score some goals tonight.
I like it, too. Gives you a perspective on how people in other cities view their own teams and the Caps.
Any chance the Caps could be showcasing Pothier to deal him, or would that just be wishful thinking? He's the highest paid defender and if he maxes out his ability he'd be a competent fourth D-man. I don't know whether Eminger will develop or not, but he's got a higher ceiling than that.
But come playoff time, the Red Wings will choke as usual.
don't expect for them to win tonight, but am excited to see them play an elite team in the NHL.
we can see how they match up and it should be a good/helpful indicator of whats needed to get to the next level.
Go Capies.
I'm not wild about the "Why they will win" segment either. But I can see its merit.
I would settle for a strong effort against the Wings tonight.
Don't be fooled by stats, the wings have slid into some very mediocre hockey the last few games. They have given up 91 SOG in the last 3, but only 52 in the 3 before that. Caps have been playing better lately.
I am actually excited about this game. You know that Ovie and Backstrom will give it their all. Kolzig needs to play well early. I still like Semin and Kozlov and would love for one or both of them to get an important goal tonight. However, if either of them cannot get motivated to play a team like Detroit, some real soul searching may be necessary.
The good thing is that there is more pressure on Detroit tonight than the Caps. Hope the Caps are just itching to go out there and surprise everyone. I think the people of Detroit may be in for quite a show. We probably will not win, but I just hope that we show everyone that we have a lot more skill and heart than they might have thought.
Good news! Hasek is in net tonight. (When's the last time that was good news?)
His current .879 SAV % is the worst of his career. And his GAA is the worst since 95-96.
Oh, and while admittedly biased, I'm a big fan of WTOTWW.
Dear Olie,
Please, for the love of all that is fantastical in this world, protect that leaky 5 hole tonight.
NS
@ Danny - Lupul's hat trick (his second in five nights) came Saturday night against Ottawa, not last night against the Devils.
Why the so and so will win is bad mojo.
Post a Comment