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Trots coming to town - Bobrovsky back vs Holtby, Burky out again |
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The 25-15-3 Washington Capitals host their Metro division rival 27-12-4 Columbus Blue Jackets tonight with only 5 points separating the first place Caps and third place Jackets. After losing three straight the Caps have now been victorious over their last three including a hard-fought 4-2 win over Boston on Thursday in their last game. Columbus has been a roller coaster of late, see-sawing their last six winning a game and then losing a game and enter tonight coming off a 4-3 win over Nashville Thursday.
There were some ripples made earlier this week when Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was suspended for a game by the organization for their last game. Some speculated it may have even been his last game in Columbus, though I wasn't so sure it was that bad. Nonetheless, he is back with the team and will start tonight.
Both teams have been struggling on the power play of late although the Jackets did go 2-2 in their last game Thursday night. Sitting 29th in the NHL with a 14.2% success rate, the Jackets PP is certainly not been clicking and it may be a good game for the Caps penalty kill units who have been steadily getting better. That being said, it would be nice if the Caps stopped taking as many penalties as they do.
Washington’s 155 times being shorthanded is tied for the most so far this year with Colorado.
After scoring a Jakub Vrana power-play goal two games ago the Capitals went 0-2 in the win over Boston Thursday and Vrana’s marker represents the only goal in the last 16 opportunities. I like that coach Todd Reirden had the PP unit showing some different looks last game including having Ovechkin line up closer to the goal line.
It’s a matter of time before this group pulls out of it much like last year around this time. They are too good.
Andre Burakovsky continues to be a healthy scratch after sitting out vs Boston. Trade talks are heating up although to many in Caps land it’s not a surprise. I wrote about this a while back.
The enigmatic forward just can seem to gain consistent traction in DC. General Manager Brian MacLellan stated in an interview he would be open to trying to improve on the Caps middle-six and one would have to surmise that would mean a possible Burakovsky trade. It will be a different time for the Capitals as over the last few years they added defense at the deadline, but this season with the emergence of Jonas Siegenthaler, Tyler Lewington, and increased ice from Madison Bowey, the Caps GM seems content with the D-depth.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 33rd goal last game against Boston and now holds a two-goal lead over Buffalo’s Jeff Skinner in the Rocket Richard trophy race. Another dangerous threat emerging nightly it seems is winger Jakub Vrana. The speedster has 3 goals and an assist his last two games giving him a career-high already in goals with 15 and now sits just two points back of a career-high 27 points set last year. For all the penalty taking issue with the Capitals, it isn’t something Vrana has had an issue with. In just his second full-time season in the NHL, he has taken only one penalty since October 19th. And that was on November 5th vs Edmonton. Great work for a young player who is getting lots of ice-time.
Recently named All-Star Braden Holtby will get the start for Washington and by all indications, it looks like we’ll see the aforementioned Bobrovsky in for Columbus.
The rest of the line-up is unchanged from the Boston game.
Game time is 7 PM EST from Capital One Arena.
Capital Gain:
Can’t wait……..
Defenseman John Carlson is +25 good enough for 5th in the NHL.
Injured Defenseman Christian Djoos has begun skating again as he begins his on-ice rehab.
Washington Capitals Blogger • 
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