Game 13
Buffalo Sabres (9-2-2) vs. Washington Capitals (9-2-3)
Puck Drop: 7:00 PM EST | Capital One Arena | Washington, D.C.
TV: MSG-B
Radio: WGR 550
SB Nation Capitals Blog: Japers Rink
Know Your Opponent
Washington Capitals
Record: 9-2-3 | 21 PTS
Last 10: 7-2-1
Division Ranking: 1st in Metro Division
Conference Ranking: 1st in Eastern Conference
PP: 6th (25.5%)
PK: 6th (85.2%)
What to Watch
1. The Champ is here?
Capital One Arena may be a little rowdier than normal this evening. I’m sure the newly crowned World Series Champions, Washington Nationals, will make an appearance at some point. We’ll see if the Sabres can weather the storm.
2. The Return…maybe
Both Jimmy Vesey and Brandon Montour practiced yesterday before the team headed off to the nation’s capital. Ralph Krueger indicated that Vesey likely wouldn’t return for tonight’s game, but tomorrow was possible. Montour, on the other hand, remains to be a mystery. The head coach said earlier in the week it was unlikely that the defender played in both games this weekend, but he has been practicing on a regular pair all week. We’ll see if gets back in tonight or tomorrow at home against the New York Islanders.
3. No losing streaks allowed
Early on in the season, the Sabres have followed up every loss with a win. Players have discussed how they believe that they’re not a multi-loss team and they rally around that. After falling to the Coyotes in overtime on Monday, they have another opportunity to follow up a defeat with a win.
Projected Lineup
Buffalo Sabres
Forwards
Victor Olofsson – Jack Eichel – Sam Reinhart
Jeff Skinner – Marcus Johansson – Vladimir Sobotka
Evan Rodrigues – Casey Mittelstadt – Conor Sheary
Zemgus Girgensons – Johan Larsson – Kyle Okposo
Defense
Jake McCabe – Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Dahlin – Henri Jokiharju
Brandon Montour/John Gilmour – Colin Miller
Starting Goaltender: Carter Hutton (unconfirmed)
Washington Capitals
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – T.J. Oshie
Jakub Vrana – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Tom Wilson
Carl Hagelin – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway
Brendan Leipsic – Nic Dowd – Travis Boyd
Defense
Michal Kempny – John Carlson
Dmitri Orlov – Radko Gudas
Jonas Siegenthaler – Nick Jensen
Starting Goaltender: Braden Holtby (unconfirmed)