New Year’s Eve – For just the fifth time in franchise history, the Capitals are hosting a home game on New Year’s Eve. The Boston Bruins are in town for the only time this season, supplying the opposition for a Tuesday afternoon tilt, the opener of Washington’s three-game homestand.
The Caps’ most recent New Year’s Day home game was on this date two years ago when they dismantled the Montreal Canadiens 9-2 here at Capital One Arena. The Capitals are 2-2-0 in previous home games on this date, and they are 7-6-0 all-time in Dec. 31 contests.
As they take the ice this afternoon, the Caps are aiming to rebound from a 4-2 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit on Sunday. The Capitals are 9-2-0 in games immediately following losses this season, outscoring the opposition by a combined total of 44-21 in those contests.
“I think the character inside of our room, the resiliency of the group, leadership,” answers Caps coach Spencer Carbery, asked why his team has been so good in games following setbacks. “I think all of that plays in. Our guys are really competitive and really proud individuals, but as a group they take pride in winning a lot of hockey games and wanting to win a lot of hockey games. So when it doesn’t go our way or we don’t perform to the level that we feel like we’re capable of – and they feel like they’re capable of – playing, they want to rectify that.”
Tuesday Afternoon – The Caps and Bruins had the first of their three meetings this season just over a week ago in Boston, on Dec. 23. That game was the final contest before the NHL’s holiday break for both teams, and it was also the second game of a set of back-to-backs for Washington. It was a 1-1 game heading into the third period, but after the Capitals failed to manage as much as a shot on net during a five-minute, all-you-can-eat power play, the Bruins seized momentum, scored three times and sent the Caps home on the short end of a 4-1 decision.
The Bruins limited Washington to a total of just 11 shots on net in that game, the fewest the Caps have managed in a game in almost 17 years, since they had 10 in a March 22, 2007 game against the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
As they prepare to take on the Bruins again today, the Caps know they must find a way to generate better looks and scoring opportunities from the middle of the ice this afternoon.
“There are a bunch of structural things that we’ll talk about with our group about how we can do a better job,” says Carbery. “The main takeaways from going back through it, is you tip your cap, first and foremost. They’re as good as any team in the National Hockey League at preventing you from getting to valuable ice, so there is a component of knowing that, understanding that, and knowing the physical requirements against a team like this – how hard and how difficult it’s going to be and knowing how hard you’re going to need to work.
“There are going to be a lot of 1-on-1 confrontation and you’ve got to figure out a way; it’s either you or him. And he is either preventing you from getting there, or you’re going to find a way through that. So that’s a big part of it, and then we’ll talk about some structural things that we can do to help aid our players in being successful, whether it’s off the rush or in the offensive zone, to try to get to the interior.”
Although the Capitals still lead the NHL with 89 goals at 5-on-5 this season, they’ve managed just 20 goals at 5-on-5 in a dozen December games, tied for 27th in the circuit this month.
A Change Is Gonna Come – Washington will make one lineup alteration for this afternoon’s game with the Bruins; Ivan Miroshnichenko will return to the lineup in place of Jakub Vrana on the right side of a line with Andrew Mangiapane and Lars Eller.
Despite scoring three goals in his last five games – including a pair of game-winners – Vrana will be a healthy scratch this afternoon.
“I haven’t liked [Vrana’s] last two games,” says Carbery. “And I know you have to give him a lot of credit, because he came back into the lineup after sitting for a while. Certainly I respect the fact that he has scored some massive goals for us – two game-winners, scored against Boston on the power play – so he earned that opportunity.
“Now, the challenge for [Vrana] – and this is for any young player or borderline player trying to stay in the lineup – is you’ve got to try to be as consistent as possible, and I’ve felt like the last two games he has taken a step back, and that opens up the door for coaches to make decisions. And Miro – as a young player champing at the bit to get back in the lineup – I thought he took a step back for a couple of games, and that’s why he came out, and now he is going to get an opportunity to grab a hold of that.
“There is a rationale behind it, and we still have full confidence in [Vrana] who quite honestly has an argument – ‘Well, I’ve scored this amount of goals – to get more runway, but that’s the deal when you are in that mix of trying to hang onto a lineup spot.”
Vrana ranks among Washington’s top five skaters in both goals/60 (1.13) and points/60 (2.27) this season.
In The Nets – Logan Thompson gets the crease for the Caps on Tuesday against the Bruins. Coming off a 35-save performance in a 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs in his most recent start, Thompson has limited opponents to two or fewer goals against in 11 of his last 14 starts, going 10-2-2 with a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save pct. over that stretch.
Lifetime against Boston, Thompson is 2-1-0 in three career starts and appearances, with a 2.29 GAA and a .932 save pct.
Jeremy Swayman – who is 13-10-3 on the season – is the expected starter for Boston today. He is 4-0-1 in his last five starts, with a shutout, a 1.57 GAA and a .918 save pct.
Lifetime against the Capitals, Swayman is 3-4-0 in eight appearances (seven starts) with a 1.68 GAA and a .932 save pct. In his seven career starts against Washington, he has yet to yield more than two goals against in any of them.
All Lined Up – Here’s how we believe the Caps and the Bruins might look on Tuesday afternoon in the District:
WASHINGTON
Forwards
8-Ovechkin, 17-Strome, 21-Protas
24-McMichael, 80-Dubois, 43-Wilson
88-Mangiapane, 20-Eller, 63-Miroshnichenko
22-Duhaime, 26-Dowd, 16-Raddysh
Defensemen
38-Sandin, 74-Carlson
42-Fehervary, 3-Roy
6-Chychrun, 57-van Riemsdyk
Goaltenders
48-Thompson
79-Lindgren
Extras
13-Vrana
27-Alexeyev
52-McIlrath
Out/Injured
15-Milano (upper body)
19-Backstrom (hip)
77-Oshie (back)
BOSTON
Forwards
39-Geekie, 18-Zacha, 88-Pastrnak
63-Marchand, 28-E. Lindholm, 13-Coyle
21-Lysell, 11-Frederic, 55-Brazeau
45-Koepke, 47-Kastelic, 26-McLaughlin
Defensemen
91-Zadorov, 73-McAvoy
29-Wotherspoon, 25-Carlo
6-Lohrei, 52-Peeke
Goaltenders
1-Swayman
70-Korpisalo
Extras
19-Beecher
71-Wahlstrom
82-Oesterle
Out/Injured
27-H. Lindholm (lower body)
