Caps @ Red Wings 12-17-2007 Preview

Washington Capitals (13-20; 28 points) @ Detroit Red Wings (23-9; 49 points):
Caps Game #34, Road Game #18, NHL Game #485

Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI. 7:07 pm. Washington TV: None. Radio: WWWT 1500-AM, 107.7-FM. Detroit TV: None. Radio: WXYT 1270-AM, 97.1-FM. U.S. National TV: Versus. Canada National TV: NHL Network, RDS (French).

Tonight the Caps head to the Motor City in what should be a packed house in Detroit to see the first ever appearance of the 2006 Calder Trophy Winner, A.O., in the Motor City. After all, we've been told how the fans have been clamoring for this. The Red Wings have won eight of their last ten with both losses coming in gimmicks. In their last game, the Wings posted a 5-2 win over Florida at home on Saturday night.

What The Natives Are Saying:

Times. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Detroit Free Press.

What Do I Expect Tonight?:

Simply put, the Caps tonight are in trouble. While they are clear of 30th in the NHL, they're still playing the top overall team in the NHL tonight on their home ice where they've lost only three times in 17 games with one of those losses coming in a gimmick. The last time the Caps were in Detroit, they pulled off a surprise 4-1 win on November 24th, 2003 but Alexander Semin is the only Cap playing tonight from that game four years ago. (Matt "Princess" Pettinger was on the roster but injured for that game, Boyd Gordon played in that game in 2003 but will miss tonight with an injury, and Olie Kolzig was backing up rookie Rastislav Stana that night.) Both of Detroit's special teams are in the top ten of the NHL and they've got one of the best offenses and defenses in the NHL. If there is a weakness, I can't find it. Bruce Boudreau is going to have to come up with some inventive tricks to pull this one out tonight or hope that the Wings are looking past the Caps with the 30th place Kings up next.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 2
Wings 5
Winner by Filppula

(22-11 on the season)