Game 12
Buffalo Sabres (5-4-2) vs. Washington Capitals (5-2-4)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Capital One Arena | Washington, DC
TV: MSG
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Capitals Blog: Japers’ Rink
Know Your Opponent
Washington Capitals
Record: (5-2-4) | 14 PTS
Division Ranking: 4th in Metropolitan
PP: 24th (17.5%)
PK: 20th (76.7%)
1. Ovechkin’s House
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Alex Ovechkin is, uh, wildly talented. The 36-year-old has 18 points, including 10 goals, in just 11 games so far this season. Somehow, that’s third in the NHL, behind only Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Five of Ovechkin’s 18 points have come on the power play.
Oh, and he’s two goals shy of passing Brett Hull for fourth on the NHL’s all-time goals list.
2. I (Kinda) Know You
The Sabres will finally get to see Axel Jonsson-Fjällby in action tonight, as he was recalled from the AHL’s Hershey Bears over the weekend. The left winger had previously been waived by the Capitals, then picked up by the Sabres. He didn’t appear in a game with Buffalo & was put back on waivers – and reclaimed by the Capitals.
If he does indeed play tonight, it will be his NHL debut.
3. The Roster is a Mystery
Morning skate was optional, and Don Granato wouldn’t specify if there would be any lineup changes. He also wouldn’t say which of his goaltenders – Aaron Dell or Dustin Tokarski – will get the start.
Out for Buffalo, on IR, are Henri Jokiharju, Casey Mittelstadt and Alex Tuch. Craig Anderson is also out. On injured reserve for the Capitals: Nicklas Backstrom, Anthony Mantha & T.J. Oshie.
Projected Lineups
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Jeff Skinner – Tage Thompson – Rasmus Asplund
Drake Caggiula – Dylan Cozens – Vinnie Hinostroza
Zemgus Girgensons – Cody Eakin – Kyle Okposo
Anders Bjork – Arttu Ruotsalainen – John Hayden
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin – Will Butcher
Jacob Bryson – Colin Miller
Robert Hagg – Mark Pysyk
Starter: Dustin Tokarski
Washington Capitals
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Tom Wilson
Conor Sheary – Lars Eller – Daniel Sprong
Carl Carl Hagelin – Nic Dowd – Garnet Hathaway
Axel Jonsson-Fjällby – Connor McMichael – Brett Leason
Defense
Martin Fehervary – John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov – Nick Jensen
Trevor van Riemsdyk – JustinSchultz
Starter: Vitek Vanecek