Caps vs. Penguin Scum 10-20-2007

Washington Capitals (3-3; 6 points) vs. Pittsburgh Penguin Scum (3-3; 6 points):
Caps Game #7, Home Game #3, NHL Game #108

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7:37 pm. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WWWT 1500-AM, 107.7 FM. Pittsburgh TV: Fox SportsNet Pittsburgh. Radio: WXDX 105.9-FM. National TV: HD Net. NHL Center Ice: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic feed.

Tonight the Caps look to end their three game winning streak when they host the Pittsburgh Penguin Scum. The Caps are reeling from injuries to key players and are looking to get back on track after falling to .500. The Penguin Scum are coming off a gimmick win last night at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguin Scum, like the Caps, are beginning to fret over high expectations placed on them before the season even started as some of the Penguin Scum's numbers are not very good for a team that considers itself a serious Stanley Cup contender.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post. Times.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Gimmick win, notebook Part I, bankruptcy payout Version I. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Penguin Scum tame Canes, notebook Part II, bankruptcy payout Version II, scouting the Caps.

What Do I Expect Tonight?:

When you turn on your TV to watch tonight's game, despite the fact that the Caps are wearing their white jerseys and that you'll be hearing plenty of drunken Penguin Scum fans in the background, tonight is a home game for the Caps. All joking aside, it would be rather trite to say that the key to tonight's game will be the special teams and leave it at that. The Caps will also need better goaltending than they've gotten in past two games (which of course will help the Penalty Killing which is facing the #6 Power Play in the league). Look for some firewagon hockey tonight as the Penguin Scum have given up at least 3 goals in every game they've played so far this season and have a neat little Loss, Win, Loss, Win, Loss, Win thing going right now. They won last night (albeit in a gimmick) so they should be in line for a loss tonight as they wrap up a three games in four nights stretch, especially if the struggling Marc Andre-Fleury starts in goal.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 5
Penguin Scum 4
Winner by Kozlov

(2-4 on the season)