GDT #81 Predators @ Capitals 2018-04-05 7:00pm EST NBCSWA

[ArJunaZ]

                     

                 Thu. April 5   Nashville Predators  @  Washington Capitals
                 Place:  Capital One Arena
                 Time: 7:00 p.m.
                 TV: NBCSWA, FS-TN
                 Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Capitals Radio 24/7
                 NHL.COM for Live Box Score
                 Nashville Predators     113-51-18-11   Last Game: Apr 03  Lost 2-1 Against Panthers
                 Washington Capitals    103-48-25-7    Last Game:  Apr 02 Won 4-2 Against Blues

                                                                                     
                       8-Ovechkin          92-Kuznetsov           43-Wilson
                     65-Burakovsky      19-Bäckström          77-Oshie
                     10-Connolly           20-Eller                    25-Smith-Pelly
                     18-Stephenson       72-Boyd                   39-Chiasson
 

                                  6-Kempny                   74-Carlson
                                  9-Orlov                         2-Niskanen
                                 44-Orpik                      29-Djoos

                                               31-Grubauer  (starter)
                                               70-Holtby


                                           -- SCRATCH --
                                               63-Gersich
                                               13-Vrana
                                               64-Pinho
                                               83-Beagle  (upper body)
                                               28-Jerabek
                                               

                                    -- INJURED RESERVE --
                                           

                                    -- 1st Powerplay Unit --
                    77-Oshie            19-Bäckström     92-Kuznetsov
                                 8-Ovechkin           74-Carlson
                               
                                    -- 2nd Powerplay Unit --
                    13-Vrana            20-Eller               65-Burakovsky
                                2-Niskanen             9-Orlov
       

               Referees:   Wes McCauley (#4),    Jake Brenk (#26)
               Linesmen:  Steve Barton (#59),    Steve Miller (#89)








by Isabelle Khurshudyan April 5 at 12:51 PM

After maintenance day, Capitals won’t rest Alex Ovechkin


Alex Ovechkin will play Thursday night. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)



The sight of Alex Ovechkin down on the ice after losing an edge and colliding awkwardly into the boards Monday night was a scary one for the Washington Capitals, just two games away from the playoffs with the Metropolitan Division clinched. Ovechkin didn’t miss a shift for the rest of the game against the St. Louis Blues, but when he skated before practice on Wednesday, Coach Barry Trotz noticed how tentatively he was moving.

Ovechkin didn’t practice, taking a “maintenance day,” but he was back on the ice Thursday morning and he’ll be in the lineup against the Nashville Predators. Trotz acknowledged that the Capitals have considered resting Ovechkin for these final two regular-season games, especially with no playoff positioning at stake in them, but Ovechkin insisted he feels “pretty good” and wants to play.

[ Rotating goalies has rarely worked in the NHL playoffs, but Caps will consider it ]

“It’s always scary when you hit the boards and you can’t protect yourself,” Ovechkin said. “But, obviously, I got lucky over there and it can be much worse. But I feel pretty good. Nothing big happened. … I just want to play. If it was a situation when it would be risky I would probably stay out of the game, but I feel pretty good. I talked to the trainers and they said everything’s fine.”

Washington may have nothing to play for, but Ovechkin does. With a league-leading 46 goals — two more than Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine — Ovechkin is poised to win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for a seventh time, and he’s in pursuit of his eighth 50-goal campaign. Ovechkin has also played every game this season, one of three Capitals players expected to play all 82 contests, a meaningful achievement for NHLers.

“If you have a chance, why not?” Ovechkin said. “But if I didn’t feel right and I didn’t feel well, I don’t want to risk to don’t play in the playoffs. I don’t want to be selfish. I feel pretty good and nothing’s bothering me. I tried yesterday, I tried today and I told [Trotz], I’m ready.”

[ Training camp in April: Auditions still open for Capitals’ forward roles in playoffs ]

Center Jay Beagle was absent from the Capitals’ morning skate, and he’ll miss a second straight game with an undisclosed “upper-body” injury. Trotz said “right now,” he expects Beagle to be back before the playoffs. Rookie Travis Boyd will center the fourth line with Beagle out, and Trotz will continue experimenting with his bottom-six forward corps. He again paired winger Devante Smith-Pelly with third-line center Lars Eller while young wingers Jakub Vrana and Shane Gersich are both out of the lineup.

“We’re going to put Boyd in, and unfortunately Gersich comes out,” Trotz said. “I think I’ve got a good handle on Gers. Maybe we’ll see him in one more yet. We’re just trying to experiment a little bit. … I know [Vrana’s] game pretty good. I just told him, ‘We’re putting different people in there.’ I’ll probably see him in next game. We’re just trying to keep everybody going.”

[OldHat]

An expeditious rendering of the anthem...

[ArJunaZ]

Can some one text me if we score?   

[dpf1971]

I really don't like watching Nashville play. 

1.  They tend to play how I'd like the Caps to play.
2.  It reminds me how much I liked Latta and how disappointed I was he didn't turn out how I'd like him to have.
3.  "The Trade"
4.  How Nashville had to be patient one season for Forsberg to put up serious points and so many of our blue-chip draft picks turn out to be dudes (or close to it ... Bura, Bowey, Vrana)

[alta]

this is pathetic, they are supposed to be professionals. They should still be playing for pride if nothing else. God forbid they start round 1 in the right frame of mind, you’d think this team would have learned that in the last 10 years

[Maacoshark]

this is pathetic, they are supposed to be professionals. They should still be playing for pride if nothing else. God forbid they start round 1 in the right frame of mind, you’d think this team would have learned that in the last 10 years

   Aren't you getting a bit wound up over a game that means absolutely nothing.

[ArJunaZ]

For the Capitals there are no meaningless games.  History has us all cringing at the past. We seem to see the same thing every year in the spring.  The Caps need to lay out the Preds, unless they have no intention of meeting them this post season, which is probably the case since they already have their late April tee times scheduled.

[alta]

   Aren't you getting a bit wound up over a game that means absolutely nothing.

so you have no pride either

[ArJunaZ]

Sorry to change the subject briefly, but Alta check this bullshit out.  I swear I would fight to the death before I submitted to this kind of crap.

https://www.infowars.com/american-town-moves-to-confiscate-assault-weapons-fine-violators-up-to-1000-per-day/

[ArJunaZ]

       #47

 



 

[ArJunaZ]

 

 

[alta]

nice to see them wake up after the intermission, next week that can’t afford to take a period off

[Maacoshark]

so you have no pride either

   I have pride. But I'm noir getting bent out of shape over a game that d[size=78%]oesnt matter. BTW they are playing well against the top team in the league. You guys are way too negative. Always find something.[/size]

[ArJunaZ]

nice to see them wake up after the intermission, next week that can’t afford to take a period off

I thought we played strong in the 1st. Better than usual anyhow.

[ArJunaZ]

   I have pride. But I'm noir getting bent out of shape over a game that d[size=78%]oesnt matter. BTW they are playing well against the top team in the league. You guys are way too negative. Always find something.[/size]

Wat do you mean that size 78% doesn't matter?        I think if anyone Canadian guys would need every inch they have.

[Maacoshark]

Wat do you mean that size 78% doesn't matter?        I think if anyone Canadian guys would need every inch they have.

    Ya ok

[ArJunaZ]

 


                               

[alta]

wow, zebras got the call right

[ArJunaZ]

wow, zebras got the call right

I was just about to type the same thing!   

[alta]

good zone time, but pointless if they don't shoot the damn puck