GDT#62 Caps vs Buffalo Feb 24 at 7pm

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Feb. 24 vs. Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena
Time: 7:00 p.m. TV: NBC Sports Washington
Radio: FAN 106.7, Capitals Radio 24/7

Washington Capitals 34-20-7
Buffalo Sabres 18-32-11

anticipated lines:
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin-Nicklas Backstrom-Tom Wilson
Brett Connolly-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie
Chandler Stephenson-Lars Eller-Andre Burakovsky
Alex Chiasson-Jay Beagle-Devante Smith-Pelly
Scratched: Jakub Vrana
Defensemen
Dmitry Orlov-Matt Niskanen
Christian Djoos-John Carlson
Brooks Orpik-Michal Kempny
Scratched: Madison Bowey, Jakub Jerabek
Goaltenders
Philipp Grubauer (starter)
Braden Holtby

By the time Philipp Grubauer got back to his apartment after the Capitals’ game in Florida on Thursday night, it was roughly 3 a.m. The team was off Friday with no practice, typically an opportunity for Grubauer to sleep in, but he set his alarm to wake him up in four hours so he would not miss Germany’s semifinal game against Canada at the PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea.
“If I couldn’t be there, at least I want to be part of the group and watch it,” Grubauer said.
Two summers ago, Grubauer was in net for the German national team during Olympic qualifying, and his 26 saves helped the Germans beat Latvia to secure their place in this year’s Winter Games. The NHL’s decision to block its players from the 2018 Olympics meant Grubauer couldn’t represent his country in the quadrennial event, but his initial disappointment has shifted to a certain pragmatism as the tournament has unfolded. Had NHLers been allowed to participate, then the field wouldn’t have been so wide-open, and Germany might have never had a chance to beat Canada and play for a gold medal on Saturday night.Grubauer will be the Capitals’ starting goaltender for Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, and he’ll get home just in time to watch his countrymen, some of whom he has stayed in touch with over the past week, attempt the mammoth upset against the Russian team. Whether the result is silver or gold, Grubauer is proud, and he’s hopeful this will help the popularity of hockey back home.“Hopefully it generates a couple new players, even younger kids who play maybe soccer or something else and want to try the sport,” Grubauer said. “Hopefully they’ll be watching, too, back home. If they win the gold medal, it gets new people into hockey.”Grubauer will be making his sixth appearance in net this month on Saturday night, and in the past 13 outings, since a Nov. 24 start against Tampa Bay, he is 6-2-2 with a .940 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average. Coach Barry Trotz said tabbing Grubauer for this game against Buffalo isn’t an indictment against Braden Holtby, who’s lost his past five starts.“It was planned, and he’s been playing good,” Trotz said.Smith-Pelly surprised by donationsDevante Smith-Pelly’s most recent experience with Blackhawks fans was unpleasant, to say the least. A week ago, [size=inherit]four fans directed racist taunts at Smith-Pelly[/size] when he was in the penalty box during the Capitals’ game in Chicago. So when he heard that some in the city had [size=inherit]raised more than $20,000 for a charity of his choosing[/size], he was ” super surprised.”
“I’m happy that people were willing to do that, and it is some good to come out of something that was pretty bad,” Smith-Pelly said.He wanted to make sure it went to a fitting cause. He asked that the money be donated to the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, home to the Cannons, the oldest minority youth hockey program in North America and a program he’s personally worked with.[size=inherit][/size]“I’m sure those kids saw the story and I’m sure maybe those kids have gone through something like that,” he said. “For them to see that not everyone thinks that way and for them to see that people are willing to help them, I just wanted to make sure that they were the ones that got that donation.”

[justwincaps]

Since we’ve sucked lately playing s the 1st place team in the Metro, let’s see how we play tonight starting out as 3rd in the Metro behind Philly and Pittsburgh. 

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My beer Kuzy had a good start!


I’m at the game and barley awake, damn curling natch didn’t end til 4am, and
the medal ceremony didn’t end til almost 5am

[DC_1908]

“Can’t buy a goal number 77”?


Well we’re paying him enough why can’t he???

[DC_1908]

My beer Kuzy had a good start!


I’m at the game and barley awake, damn curling natch didn’t end til 4am, and
the medal ceremony didn’t end til almost 5am

Chang’s egg drop sounds great now

[DC_1908]

Sooooo we have a big Chink . . . er Chinese order coming


Ya know, you’d think by the way Asians drive their delivery would be faster . . .


Heh but they may have been in a wreck 

[alta]

Chang’s egg drop sounds great now

that’s funny, I was just thinking orange beef

[DC_1908]

that’s funny, I was just thinking orange beef

Thad’s what she said. . .

[DC_1908]

Kempny with a turnover . .  . HE FITS RIGHT IN!!!

[Surreylily]

Morning peeps. 

[Maacoshark]

Kempny with a turnover . .  . HE FITS RIGHT IN!!!

   Yup. Not sure he is an upgrade. Last game he lost his man for 2 goals against.

[Maacoshark]

  I like watching Ristolainen play. Why can't we get a dman like that.

[justwincaps]

Nice to know we can hang tough at home, despite being outplayed, with the worst team in the East and second worse in the entire NHL.


Ted must be proud!

[alta]

Morning peeps. 

there’s peeps? it’s not even Easter yet

[alta]

Atta boy Burt !!!!!!

[Surreylily]

 
Bear doing his thang again...

[Maacoshark]

Atta boy Burt !!!!!!

   That was an excellent individual effort by Burakovsky. Its actually his downfall as a player. He is too individual and not team oriented enough. You have to like his skills though.

[Maacoshark]

Bear doing his thang again...

   Ya he is on a hot streak right now.

[justwincaps]

Just saw Backstrom on the bench - haven’t even heard his name tonight.   Can someone please put out an APB for the missing first line center of the Capitals?

[Surreylily]

Locher just said, "In his last dozen games, Grubauer is 6 - 2 and 2...........